When caring for your health, it’s important to have a comprehensive view and remember that your body is indeed an integrated system. Maintaining good oral hygiene in Orem is essential to your overall physical and, by extension, mental wellness. Both mental and oral health are linked and mutually affect each other.
How Does Your Mental State Impact Your Teeth?
Your mental health is directly tied to how well you take care of your teeth. Periodontal disease is associated with both depression and poor oral hygiene, according to research. The inability to take care of oneself properly is said to contribute to depression. Cavities, foul breath, gum disease, and other problems with oral hygiene are more common among those who don’t take care of their teeth and gums properly.
However, dental phobia can also have serious effects on gum and tooth health. Individuals who suffer from dental anxiety endure difficulty while considering dental visits and procedures. Generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) and previous bad experiences at the dentist can both contribute to dental phobia.
58% of participants in a study of 473 patients in 2015 reported dental anxiety. If you suffer from dental anxiety or phobia, you may experience the following while considering or actually attending a dentist appointment:
- Experiencing a rapid heart rate or palpitations
- Sweating
- Expressions of extreme emotion, such as crying
- Fear-suppressing aggression or humor
- Dizziness and fainting due to low blood pressure
People who suffer from dental anxiety are more likely to avoid necessary dental care for extended periods of time in order to avoid experiencing the associated discomfort. Cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer are just some of the dental issues that can become dangerous if not treated in time.
The Effects of Bad Dental Health on Your Emotional Well-Being
Dental health and mental well-being are connected in both directions. Poor dental hygiene can have serious consequences for your mental health, just as your mental health may affect your capacity or motivation to seek oral treatment. People who suffer from serious mental illness have a likelihood that it is 2.7 times higher than the normal population of losing all of their teeth.
Problems with social anxiety and self-esteem might arise from neglecting dental health by not properly taking care of teeth and gums. These extra self-image difficulties are especially common among persons with mental illness because they are adversely impacted by dental health problems due to various factors, including the absence of availability to treatment, anxiety about treatment, or poor oral hygiene practices.
Mental and dental health are closely linked. Unfortunately, this causes a virtuous circle in which those with mental health problems are more likely to have poor oral health.
Contact Us Right Away
Discussing your mental health issues with your dentist might help you stop the cycle. If you suffer from dental anxiety, your dentist may suggest a few treatments in an effort to calm your nerves.
