25 Oct Oral Health and Mental Health: The Surprising Connections
Oral health affects your overall well-being in so many ways, and one often-overlooked way is the effects of oral health on mental health and vice versa. Reducing the effects of mood symptoms is yet another compelling reason for people to take good care of their smiles at home and see a dentist twice a year.
How Your Smile Affects Your Mood
If you don’t take good care of your teeth, the results will be visible in your smile. Poor oral health can result in issues like:
- Bad breath
- Discoloration of teeth
- Poor condition of teeth
- Negative effects on speech
An unattractive smile can in turn affect your mood. These issues may contribute to mental health issues such as:
- Social anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
There also appears to be a correlation between the inflammation associated with gum disease and the memory impairment that is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias.
How Your Mood Affects Your Smile
The relationship between your mood and your oral health is a two-way street. Certain mental health conditions can have a direct effect on your oral health in a variety of ways.
- Depression can sap your motivation to practice good oral hygiene habits, to the detriment of your smile.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder can lead patients to be overzealous about tasks like brushing, which can ultimately harm oral tissues.
- Eating disorders can deprive the teeth of much-needed nutrients or expose the teeth to excessive stomach acids that accelerate wear and tear.
- Anxiety and phobia can interfere with a patient’s ability to see a dentist for routine care.
- Substance use disorders, especially those involving alcohol or tobacco, can harm the teeth.
- Cognitive limitations associated with dementia can prevent patients from practicing good oral hygiene habits. Furthermore, there may be more challenges for a person with dementia to see a dentist for routine care.
Maintaining Your Smile to Maintain Your Mental Health
To optimize both your smile and your mood, it’s important to practice good oral hygiene every day. Brush twice a day, for two minutes each time. Floss daily, and stay well hydrated to make sure that you’re producing enough saliva to clear away harmful oral bacteria.
Your home oral hygiene regimen is only one aspect of oral health maintenance, though. You should also see a dentist twice a year for routine care. Has it been more than six months since your last checkup? If so, call Aesthetic Dental Partners to schedule your appointment.