April is Stress Awareness Month. Stress doesn’t just mess with your emotional state. It also causes problems with your overall health – including your dental health. As your dentist, we want to help you stop stress and keep smiling. 

If you need to make an appointment to visit us in Visalia, CA, call Sequoia Dental Office at 559-608-3533. In the meantime, check out our tips for keeping stress from affecting your oral health:

  • Keep Your Teeth Clean – Stress often causes people to skip their self-care routines. But you need to maintain your daily brushing and flossing schedule. Neglecting these activities can result in cavities and gum disease. Those relatively small issues can turn into larger problems without professional attention. If you’ve been neglecting oral hygiene or haven’t seen us for a while, schedule a cleaning and exam. 
  • Don’t Ignore Signs of Gum Trouble – Stress affects your immune system. This can make you more vulnerable to gum disease. And infection in the gums can spread to other parts of the body through your bloodstream. It’s important to treat disease in its early stages to stop these more serious effects. If you notice tender or bleeding gums or other signs of trouble, see us ASAP. 
  • Drink Lots of Water – A dry mouth is another product of stress. It creates problems for your smile since it makes your mouth more hospitable to disease-causing bacteria. One way to combat dry mouth is by drinking plenty of water. We can also suggest products like mouth rinses that may help. You can also chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free mints. Products with xylitol are a good choice, as xylitol is a natural cavity fighter.
  • Use Strategies to Lessen Stress – For some great ideas on fighting stress, you can check out this short video. 
  • Stop Grinding Your Teeth – An often hidden result of stress is teeth grinding that may happen while you sleep. Grinding can cause you to wake up with a sore jaw and/or headaches. It can also cause TMJ dysfunction and damage your tooth enamel. We can fit you for a custom-mouthguard that will stop grinding and ease painful pressure on your jaw.

Call Sequoia Dental Office today at 559-608-3533 to schedule an appointment, or make one online. Let us help you keep smiling!