Are you stressed out? Your nerves and mental wellbeing aren’t all that’s affected. Stress also causes strain on your teeth, jaw, mouth, and gums. Teeth grinding, jaw bone stiffness and swelling, mouth ulcers, and gum disease. These are just a few of the ways that stress affects your dental health.

Stress can really take a toll on your good oral habits. Stress-induced emotional and physical exhaustion can lead to prioritizing falling asleep at night without first taking care of your teeth and gums. When you miss a brushing and flossing session, plaque can build up on your teeth. Dental gels and plaque removal toothpastes are a good way to boost the effectiveness of your oral care.

When it comes safeguarding your teeth from stress, the best thing to do is seek both mental health care and dental care. Counseling sessions and anxiety medications from a mental health provider can help you to better manage your stress and anxiety. Your dentist can mold a mouth mouthguard for your teeth to protect them from grinding while you sleep, as well as recommend the best plaque removal dental gel and toothpaste for your teeth.

Here’s a more in-depth look at how stress affects your dental health, and the ways to protect your teeth from stress-induced damage.

Grinding Your Teeth

Stress causes tension in your body. Your teeth and jaw are no exception. Nocturnal and unconscious teeth grinding is a common occurrence in dental health, but common doesn’t mean benign.

The medical term for teeth grinding and jaw clenching is, Bruxism. This dental health problem is not just reserved for sleeping hours. It can also occur throughout your day, especially if you work in a high-stress environment. Bruxism can trigger headaches and a sore jaw, as well as severely damage to your teeth, including cracked, strained, broken, and even lost teeth.

You should inspect your teeth in your mirror each time you brush and floss. Look for signs of Bruxism. This includes flat tooth tops, indents in your tongue, and extreme teeth sensitivity caused by your teeth being worn down.

A dental gel designed for sensitive teeth can help you take care of your oral hygiene without pain. Wearing a mouthguard guard while you sleep can protect your teeth from damage caused by Bruxism. Deep breathing, mediation, and light exercise can help if you find yourself tensing up during the day. These calming techniques can help protect your teeth from damage.

Stiff and Swollen Jaw

The symptoms of Bruxism that affect your jaw can cause strain on your temporomandibular joints. These are the joints that allow you to open and close your lower jaw, and therefore, your mouth. Swelling and stiffness of these joints caused by stress-induced grinding of your teeth and clenching of your jaw can lead to TMJ Disorder. Symptoms of TMJ include jaw pain, and jaw popping and clicking.

TMJ disorder can develop even if you don’t see the symptoms of Bruxism. You should schedule an appointment with your dentist if you are experiencing jaw pain or popping. They can advise as to the best course of action to manage your pain and symptoms. You may find a soft food diet helpful until your TMJ symptoms are properly managed.

Stress is a leading cause of TMJ Disorder. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation can help prevent your symptoms for worsening,

Mouth Ulcers

Have you ever had a canker sore? These annoying and painful mouth ulcers can spring up inside your mouth, causing you discomfort for several days. Did you know that canker sores can be triggered by stress? A recent study by the Academy of General Dentistry on the development of canker sores in the mouth of students yielded results that revealed a higher prevalence of canker sore development during the school year, with a much lower development rate during holiday breaks and post-graduation.

Canker sores can make your gums extra sensitive and can turn your oral hygiene routine into a painful nightmare. Plaque removal dental gel for sensitive teeth can boost the effectiveness of your oral hygiene when you have a canker sore.

Gum Disease

Stress lowers your body’s immune system, making your antibodies less effective at fighting off infections. Your mouth is no exception, and gum disease is a common oral infection caused by high levels of stress. Bleeding gums and bad breath are a couple of the unpleasant and off-putting symptoms of gum disease.


The same culprits of Bruxism like grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw can also trigger an infection in your gums. Smoking cigarettes as a stress coping method is not only harmful to your lungs, it can also cause or worsen gum disease.

Severe gum disease calls for a trip to your periodontist, a dental specialist who focuses on the health of your gums. They will likely recommend a plaque removal toothpaste or dental gel for sensitive gums to combat plaque buildup while your gums are infected.

Dry and Burning Mouth

When you have a lack of overall saliva production in your mouth, the miserableness that is dry or burning mouth syndrome can ensue. Your saliva is a defense mechanism for your mouth when it comes to fighting off infectious bacteria. When your mouth has less saliva than is needed, your mouth is at risk of tartar build up, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Stress-induced anxiety and depression are known causes of dry and burning mouths. Treating your stress though counseling, prescribed medications, or simpler methods such as meditation and proper exercise can help cut down your risk of developing dry or burning mouth syndrome.

Proper Oral Hygiene

Beyond clinical methods of stress management and calming techniques, the best defense to stress-induced oral problems is a strong offense. A proper oral hygiene routine, with the right products, can help keep your mouth feeling both fresh and healthy.

When is the last time you audited your oral hygiene supply? LIVFRESH’s plaque removal toothpastes and dental gels are made from safe and edible ingredients that are scientifically developed and proven to strengthen your teeth in their fight against tartar and plaque buildup.