Dental Health and Mental Health

Everyone knows that maintaining your dental health will keep your gums healthy and reduce bad breath and tooth decay. But did you know that your dental health can reveal a lot about your mental state? It has become more apparent today that there is a very strong connection between dental health and mental well-being.

We all understand that maintaining healthy teeth will maintain healthy gums and reduce bad breath and tooth decay. But do you know that your oral health can reveal a lot about your mental health? It has been more evident today that dental health and mental health go hand in hand. Bad oral health is reported to be a cause of depression, anxiety, and loss of cognitive function, and mental health problems can also negatively impact oral hygiene. It is essential to realize this connection to maintain both a healthy mind and mouth.

The Psychological Impact of Dental Health

Dental issues do more than restrict your ability to eat and communicate—they can actually impact your self-esteem and self-worth. In 2022, a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders discovered that patients with tooth loss and gum disease experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety. The problem is that visible dental issues are embarrassing, socially disabling, and of poor quality of life.

Apart from social problems, toothache is also a basic mental health problem. Repeated toothache or gum infection can even result in insomnia, irritability, and elevated stress levels. The British Dental Journal quoted the fact that patients of chronic dental pain will certainly develop depression due to continuity of stress and pain.

Can Dental Health Affect Mental Health?

The relationship of oral and mental health is two-way. Poor oral health can aggravate mental disorders, and depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders may cause a person to neglect their oral health.

A National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research study indicated that patients who had mental disorders had more symptoms of dental caries, periodontal diseases, and loss of teeth caused by neglect, as well as poor oral health behaviors. Depression may lead to fatigue and indolence and result in missed dental appointments as well as in poor brushing and flossing habits. Bruxism, which results in excessive tooth and jaw wear as well as in jaw pain, is caused by anxiety.

Furthermore, the biological connection between oral and mental well-being is inflammation. Chronic gum infection, or periodontitis, has been linked with higher rates of systemic inflammation, which have in turn been linked with mood disorders. In research released in Frontiers in Immunology, periodontitis-induced inflammation has been identified as potentially being behind neurological changes and hence an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

Depression and Dental Health: A Two-Way Connection

Depression strongly affects dental hygiene practice but not the other way around, and bad dental health can lead to exacerbation of depression symptoms. In a 2021 study for BMC Psychiatry, depressive patients were over twice as likely to have gum disease or uncured cavities as non-depressive patients.

The discomfort and pain of oral issues can cause mental distress, and in a cycle, poor mental health dissuades one from getting dental treatment. Also, antidepressant medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have one of their side effects being dry mouth, which can bring about more cavities and gum disease.

Can a Tooth Infection Affect Your Mental Health?

Untreated dental infections will lead to systemic effects beyond the tooth. An ongoing cavity infection of the tooth will leak into the circulatory system and cause systemic inflammation and impair brain function.

A research in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry proved that chronic oral infections were more likely to cause cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders, i.e., mood disorders, in human beings. A bacterial infection of the tooth can potentially travel through the blood stream and cause inflammation responsible for generating brain effects and highly likely result in the severity of depression and anxiety.

Other than that, an untreated dental abscess can lead to brain infections, which can lead to confusion, loss of memory, and, in the extreme, life-threatening conditions such as sepsis. Therefore, dental infections must be treated at an early stage for physical and mental health.

My Teeth Are Affecting My Mental Health – What Can I Do?

If you find that the health of your mouth is impacting your mood, there are a few things that you can do in an attempt to break the cycle:

1. Prioritize Oral Hygiene: Brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups should be done regularly. If you are afraid of dental check-ups, talk to your dentist using sedation.
2. Seek Psychological Help: If your self-esteem has been damaged by dental issues or led to depression, you can be helped by counseling or therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is most helpful in conquering dental fear.
3. Decrease Stress and Anxiety: Exercise, mindfulness, and breathing diaphragmatically can decrease stress and therefore decrease oral disorders such as bruxism.
4. Eat a Balanced Diet and Drink Adequate Fluids: Healthy foods and enough fluids will avoid mouth issues and even improve overall health. Steer clear of excessive sugar and acidic foods to save teeth.
5. Treat Infections at Once: If you are sure you have an oral infection, you need to be treated right away to avoid complications on your mental state.

The Bottom Line

The connection between oral and mental health is undeniable. Poor oral hygiene can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and mental issues, while mental disorders can result in the lack of oral care. Healthy dental habits along with the treatment of mental as well as oral health can improve an individual’s well-being. If you are struggling with dental issues affecting your mind, you must visit a dentist as well as a mental health expert to gain control over your life and health.

References-

• PubMed Central February 7, 2022 Association Between Mental Health and Oral Health Status

• American Psychiatrist September 19, 2023 How Dental Health and Mental Health Are Connected