It’s Stress Awareness Month. Did you know that stress can affect all areas of your life? When it comes during the work day, stress can make you short with loved ones at home. It can keep you from losing sleep and make you eat more or less than you usually would. All these things that stress makes us do just adds more stress! The cyclical effect of stress doesn’t stop there. It can affect your oral health, too. So, become aware of your stressors and consider a mouthguard is teeth grinding from stress is impacting your oral or overall health. 

Symptoms of Stress

• Mouth sores are often an indication of a stressed lifestyle. Canker sores and cold sores are both common. Cold sores are also contagious.
• Taking care of your oral health requires time. If you are too busy to brush and floss your teeth properly, or if you are just not eating right, your oral health will suffer. Remember: there’s always time for self-care.
• If you are clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth (possibly without even realizing it) you could be causing a lot of harm to your teeth and jaw. You dentist can help you create a plan. 
• Studies suggest that dental plaque levels increase with stress, increasing the possibility of gum disease.

So, how do you deal with these health hazards that stress may causes?

Learn to meditate and study how to cope with stress. Indulge in activities that help you relax whether that’s reading, coloring, gardening, or something else. Stress isn’t an external factor affecting your mind and body. It comes from within you, and dealing with it is in your hands.

Make time for yourself. Don’t blame your busy schedule or the pending work list. Decide to relax and do it. A simple stretch and yawn, a long loving hug, snuggling with your pet, a call to your best friend, a look out of the window, a quick nap, watching a funny video or even something as simple as smelling some flowers, can all act as stress-busters. Take your pick or find your own way to bust stress.

Need more ideas? Check out these tips.