Oral manifestations of stress!

Dental
1

Stress has become a constant part of our daily life . But it’s affects are not just limited to mind , they are also there in the oral cavity.

Common oral manifestations of stress are

  • Bruxism - Bruxism is grinding of teeth often unconsciously during night .

  • TMJ disorders- Problems like restricted movement of jaws , pain in the TMJ associated with activities like clenching etc.

  • Recurrent aphthous ulcers- Mostly due to immune response or hormonal issues. Stress can definitely be a triggering factor.

  • Periodontal issues- Stress decreases the immune response and can worsens the problems like gingivitis , periodontitis

    Stress
    Stress1536×1024 326 KB

Mechanism

Stress causes increase in cortisol level which eventually impairs the immune system . This alters the oral micro biome and leads to problems .

Also increase in habits like clenching and bruxism during stress is very common.

Many of the above listed issues are treated clinically but the underlying cause which is stress Is often overlooked.

Takeaways

  • Manage stress with proper lifestyle or stress managing activities.

  • Use of Night guards for Bruxism.

  • Early Identification of the habits like clenching ,etc

  • Follow-up visits to dentists are necessary.

Do you also face such oral problems during stressful times?

MBH/AB

7 Likes
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Seen many cases of bruxism due to increasing stress and workload. It’s becoming quite common.

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Informative post @Anandani :clap:

My final year PG examination days were probably the most stressful period in my life. I remember having palatal erythema with painful ulcers. Our body recognizes stress much before the mind registers it. One must never ignore the warning signs !!

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4

I have personally encountered apthous ulcers due to stress during exam season.

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5

Haven’t looked in this angle, will be aware next time.Great info .

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6

I myself suffered from bruxism when I was working long hours at my hospital. I woke up in the morning with sensitive teeth and a painful jaw.

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7

Yes, for me stress comes with multiple ulcers and dryness of mouth.

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8

I have personally experienced habits like teeth clenching when I perform time-consuming procedures like full-mouth ultrasonic scaling for patients with triple-plus stains and calculus. To top this off, these patients would be extremely difficult to manage, stretching the treatment time longer.

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9

Very insightful post :clap:
Loved how you connected stress to oral health so clearly—often overlooked but highly relevant. Simple, practical takeaways make it even better! :brain::tooth:

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10

I remember how oral ulcers seemed to pay a visit every time exam season arrived. :rofl:

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