How Mental Illness Affects Your Oral Health

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How Mental Illness Affects Your Oral Health

Knowing the mouth is the gateway to the body. Knowing this is Mental Health Awareness Month. I was impressed by the statement from the article below. I felt it can truly be a catch 22 for those suffering.

  “Oral health is a window to your mental health. It provides a glimpse into the state of your mind. People with mental illnesses often have poor oral health, and vice versa. Depression, anxiety disorders, frequent panic attacks, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorders), and phobias are linked with greater chances of tooth decay and tooth loss over the years.

 Meanwhile, dental pain and decay lead to low self-esteem and social isolation, contributing to a lower quality of life and disrupted mental health.

 Stress and anxiety create extra cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol levels that are too high impair the immune system, increasing the risk of gum disease, oral sores, and infections.”

What I wanted to offer was HOPE. Dentistry overall, has made terrific progress in removing a stigma of fearing the dentist, which kept generations away from care.

Especially in our current day, knowing what we know of the oral systemic connection and the importance oral health plays, and moreover knowing preventive homecare can avoid bad experiences, we know that we are guides for your overall wellness.

Our challenge is to bring the opportunity of proactive and preventive care to the forefront. To a huge degree, personal discipline will be the key to overall wellness. It’s a balance all will aim to achieve.

Knowing how to care for yourself, considering proactive measures for your dental and overall health (versus ignoring and/or waiting for the inevitable “emergency” to happen) this approach can lead to a balanced place of wellness and greater enjoyment of life.

Taking small steps – taking a first step is often the hardest step. Our team is a wealth of knowledge and we are here to give service to others.