A recent survey published within the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry has revealed dental hygiene reduced during the lockdowns. Many people neglected their teeth and oral health, with participants of the study admitting to cleaning their teeth less often.

Stress has been a huge contributor to the decline in oral hygiene. Alongside anxiety, it has also contributed to other oral problems such as teeth grinding. Here, you’ll discover how anxiety and stress could be leading to stress-related teeth problems.

What stress-related teeth problems are dentists seeing?

There have been several dental health issues that have increased since the start of the pandemic. Some of the most common stress-related issues that we are seeing in patients include:

• Cracked teeth
• Bruxism (tooth grinding or clenching)
• Tooth sensitivity
• Bad breath

The reason patients are experiencing these issues is linked to stress. During lockdown, many people didn’t prioritise oral health as they were no longer leaving the house. When we were allowed to venture out, masks meant there wasn’t as much of a need to focus on smile aesthetics.

Higher stress levels have also led to an increase in Bruxism, or teeth grinding. Over time, teeth grinding wears down the enamel, and it can become quite painful.

Finally, a lack of teeth brushing has led to an increase in bad breath. Thankfully, this embarrassing problem is easy to clear up with a visit to the dentist.

Stress over visiting the dentist has also increased

Many patients also developed anxiety over visiting the dentist during the pandemic. Even when practices were open, there was a worry over the safety of procedures. There are also patients who already have a fear of the dentist, so the pandemic heightened their stress and anxiety levels.

Fear of the dentist is a common issue that can cause a lot of distress for some patients. But the good news is that if you are nervous about seeing the dentist, there are ways that we can help you at CK Dental.

How can we help stressed or nervous patients?

At CK Dental, we have created a calm and relaxing environment. Our friendly team understands that visiting the dentist can be nerve-racking for some people, so we will always do our best to put you at ease.

If anxiety is stopping you from visiting the dentist and taking care of your oral hygiene, you may benefit from having your treatment under conscious sedation. You could even choose to have treatment under general anaesthetic. CK Dental is one of the few dental practices in the UK to offer dental treatment under general anaesthetic.

If you need to see a dentist, or if you are a nervous patient and want to feel confident to organise a treatment, or want to learn more about treatments under sedation, please get in touch with us today.