What do you usually associate stress with? Hair loss? Weight loss? Even the increased risk of killer diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
But what about tooth loss? It’s a shocking effect that not many people know about, but was recently highlighted by actress Demi Moore while appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The 54-year-old actress revealed that she lost her two front teeth due to stress.
“I sheared off my front teeth. And I’d love to say it was skateboarding or something really cool, but I think it’s really something that’s important to share because I think it’s literally, probably after heart disease, one of the biggest killers in America, which is stress,” Demi Moore told the audience.
But don’t worry – you probably don’t have to worry about your teeth randomly falling out if you’re feeling mildly stressed. It’s mainly a health concern for people dealing with extreme long-term stress, and only on a case-by-case basis, according to Tim Pruett, D.M.D., founder of Flossolution.
“Over time, chronic stress can be a trigger mechanism for clenching and grinding—what we call parafunctional bruxism—and can definitely cause significant damage to your teeth and gums, [even becoming a contributing] factor in tooth loss”.
But if you are dealing with stress in your life, it doesn’t hurt to keep up with your regular dentist visits. If clenching and grinding of teeth is an issue for you, your dentist may indeed prescribe a night guard such as the F.O.S. device, as a solution.
7 signs you may be damaging your teeth due to stress:
- You notice your teeth becoming translucent or getting shorter
- Your gums are bleeding more
- You experience dental abscesses
- You feel an ache or clicking in your jaw joint
- You experience root canal problems
- You develop bad breath
- You bite your cheeks
Visit your dentist if you start to experience any of these symptoms!
