Stress is a common experience for many people in today's fast-paced world. While it is a normal part of life, chronic stress can have negative impacts on both physical and mental health. One such impact is an increase in the risk of periodontal disease, also known as gum disease.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth, including the gums, ligaments, and bone. It is caused by the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth and is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. There are two main stages of periodontal disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the early stage of the disease and is characterized by inflamed gums that may bleed when brushed or flossed. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, a more severe form of the disease that involves the destruction of the tissues and bone that support the teeth.
There is evidence to suggest that stress may increase the risk of developing periodontal disease. Stress activates the body's fight or flight response, which can lead to changes in the immune system and an increased production of stress hormones such as cortisol. These changes can weaken the immune system and make it more susceptible to infection, including periodontal disease. Additionally, stress can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and neglecting oral hygiene, which can also contribute to the development of periodontal disease.
There are several ways to reduce the risk of developing periodontal disease, including maintaining good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing regularly and visiting the dentist regularly for cleanings and check-ups. It is also important to manage stress effectively through techniques such as deep breathing, exercise, and relaxation techniques.
In conclusion, stress is a common experience that can have negative impacts on physical and mental health. One such impact is an increased risk of periodontal disease, a serious infection of the tissues that support the teeth. By maintaining good oral hygiene habits and effectively managing stress, it is possible to reduce the risk of developing this disease and maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Stress as a risk factor for periodontal diseases
Journal of Dental Research. It has been suspected that periodontal status is related to alterations in the concentration of adrenal corticoids and by altering the response of oral tissues to bacterial toxins and other hormones involved in the general adaptation syndrome. II: As observed on extracted teeth". J Oral Health Comm Dent 2010; Suppl 4 :1-17-22. Further studies conducted more recently support the idea that stress and other psychosocial issues might be linked to periodontal disease and argue for a more proactive, preventative approach to address these issues as risk factors in the disease. The mouth may be used to obtain satisfaction, to express dependency or hostility, and to inflict or receive pain. Based on this concept, it is also possible that the periodontal microflora may change during stress.
Psychosocial Stressors While much more is known about the role of disease processes such as infection and cancer as stressors capable of inducing far-flung and prolonged inflammatory and classic stress syndromes, it is now considered likely that emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial stressors are also capable of activating the stress system, along with associated immune system effects. Stress has been shown to be a contributing factor to periodontal disease due to the presence of chronic inflammation and a weak immune defense. Consequently, it is noteworthy that the practitioner is aware of these factors and taken them into consideration. To compare, elevated levels of these inflammatory markers are also associated with cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular events such as ischemic strokes. Contents available in the book………………. However, it was also acknowledged that people experiencing chronic stress were more likely to engage in a lifestyle not conducive to good oral health such as a poor diet, smoking, inadequate dental hygiene or care, for example. One investigation was done to determine whether noradrenaline norepinephrine , and adrenaline epinephrine , which are released during human stress responses, act as environmental factors to alter the growth of 43 microorganisms found within the subgingival microbial complexes.
Stress disrupts the homeostasis of this network, which in turn, alters immune function. Learn more by reading some of our other articles General Dental,Periodontology. Can Stress Cause Cavities? Gum disease periodontitis happens when your gums are inflamed. Get the necessary treatment for your cavity at a lower cost with Carefree Dental. Dent Clin North Am 1966;March: 11-9. The increased corticosteroid levels enhance bacterial invasion of the interdental region by weakening host inflammatory response, or by inducing relative ischemia in the gingival papillary regions.
12 Ways Stress Might Lead To Gum Disease (Periodontitis)
Other signs and symptoms such as abscess formation with pathogenic exudates and intense pain, loosening of teeth and the perceived threat of losing one's teeth in early adulthood are also often highly worrisome, hence serving as potentially powerful negative emotional stressors. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo. The plan provides discounts at participating providers for services. Stress, oral health behaviour and clinical outcome. Furthermore, it is likely that systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, preterm delivery, and osteoporosis may share psychosocial stress as a common risk factor in the progression of periodontal diseases. Deinzer R, Hilpert D, Bach K, Schawacht M, Herforth A.
Stress and periodontal disease: The link and logic!! Goyal S, Gupta G, Thomas B, Bhat K M, Bhat G S
It has been reported that psychological disturbances can lead patients to neglect oral hygiene and that the resultant accumulation of plaque is detrimental to the periodontal tissue. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. Aggressive Tooth Brushing While keeping up with your dental health routine is crucial, overdoing it does more damage than good. American Journal of Physiology. The range of discounts will vary depending on the type of provider and services.
Gum circulation Chronic stress impacts upon muscle tone of the blood vessels and over time this can lead to constriction which prevents adequate oxygen and nutrient supply to the oral tissues. Models to evaluate the role of stress in periodontal disease. J Psychosom Res 1967; 11:213-218 Breivik T, Thrane PS, Murison R, Gjermo P. . Manhold JH, Doyle JL, Weisinger EH.
This appears to be a cyclical relationship where neuroinflammation affects mood and behavior leading to periodontitis which further causes systemic inflammation, worsening existing inflammatory conditions and worsening mood. After-effects of stress on crevicular interleukin-1beta. In a study, Cogen et al. Effects of academic stress on oral hygiene - A potential link between stress and plaque-associated disease? Again, in small doses, stress is good for the body as it stimulates the immune system to respond to threat which might mean helping the body fight infection, for example. . In the last few decades, research has demonstrated a correlation between stress and periodontal diseases. All these factors affect the overall progression of periodontal diseases.
But chronic stress may influence inflammatory processes, leading to the development of systemic or local diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis 27, diabetes 28, cardiovascular diseases 29 or periodontal diseases 30. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. The plan does not make payments directly to providers. Also the release of neuropeptides such as substance P SP , somatostatin, the endogenous opioid peptides beta-endorphin and enkephalins , Vasoactive intestinal peptide VIP and nerve growth factor from peptidergic sensory nerves also modulate the activity of the immune system and the release of cytokines. The pathobiology of periodontal diseases may affect systemic diseases: Inversion of a paradigm.
