Two important parts of daily life are taking care of your teeth and mind. How you take care of your teeth and gums is called oral health. Mental health includes all of the different ways you feel emotionally every day and the things you do to stay healthy.
Balance is important for both of these types of health, but a new study shows that they are more closely linked than you might think.
Knowing the link between taking care of your teeth and your mental health is helpful for everyone. People who have mental illness often don’t brush their teeth. If you want to stop that habit, learn more about how mental illness and not brushing your teeth are linked.
Depression
Depression is linked to dental difficulties. These include tooth loss, cavities, and more. If you’ve ever had a depressed episode, you know poor hygiene might be a side effect.
Depressed people living in Minnesota may lack motivation to brush their teeth, causing them to do so occasionally or not at all. Lack of dentist coon rapids mn can lead to plaque, tartar, and cavities, even tooth loss.
Depression can also increase drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Depressed people typically do poorly, missing out on important nutrients for a healthy mouth. In combination with poor dental hygiene, these factors can affect dental health.
Anxiety
Different people experience anxiety in different ways. Social engagement may make socially anxious people less likely to attend the dentist.
The Minnesota patient may be frightened by the forceful tools and methods used to clean teeth. This fear of going to dental office edina mn could lead to years without professional cleaning, increasing the risk of plaque, tartar, and gum disease.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD can worsen oral health. You may be surprised because obsessive-compulsive behaviors are associated with cleanliness and order. People experience OCD in numerous ways, many of which might impair their dental health.
OCD causes teeth enamel degradation by vigorous brushing. A person with OCD may brush their teeth vigorously for long periods, damaging their gums and enamel. Though vital, brushing your teeth too hard is harmful.
Medications
A lot of people who have mental illness depend on their drugs to get through the day. These medicines help keep hormones and brain chemicals in balance, which lessens the bad effects of some of the conditions above. Still, medicines have side effects that can hurt a person’s tooth health.
Mental Health Benefits of Dental Hygiene
Healthy mental habits boost oral health. Good oral health also improves mental wellness. Three mental health benefits of proper dental hygiene, even when depressed or anxious:
Enjoy New Routine Benefits
Everyone benefits from having daily practice. Setting up a new routine can help you feel more in charge of your day and your plan. You can take care of your hygiene and make an important part of your life better by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day.
Self-Esteem Increase
Teeth and breath cleanliness boost self-esteem. Look in the mirror and like what you see. Cleaning your teeth and smiling might boost your self-esteem.
Your teeth will feel stronger and brighter if you brush daily. By removing smells and bacteria, minty-fresh toothpaste will remove plaque and stains and freshen your breath. These things improve your self-esteem daily.
