We live in very demanding times, and more and more people being diagnosed with stress with recent figures suggesting it affects up to 10% of the population. Whilst there is a general awareness of the majority of symptoms of stress many people do not realise the oral health implications.
In fact there are a high number of people I see who don’t realise the extent of their teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism). Headaches can be an immediate side effect of this grinding while permanent tooth damage can be a long term one. The majority of sufferers are aged between mid-twenties to mid-forties.
Although bruxism may be the most common stress related complaint, others include;
- Mouth sores and cold sores
- Poor oral hygiene/unhealthy eating routines
- Periodontal disease
- Prolonged grinding can lead to TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) problems