The Link Between Oral Health and Mental Health
Maintaining good oral health can help protect you from tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. It can also help you keep a bright, healthy smile. Your oral health has the ability to impact more than just your teeth, however. It can improve your mental well-being as well! Below are five ways your oral health and mental health are linked.
Poor oral health can affect your eating habits
If you’re suffering from tooth decay, gingivitis, or other oral health issues that make eating uncomfortable, you may not be getting the nutrition your body and brain need to stay healthy. This can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and fewer interactions with friends and family. However, addressing oral health problems with a dentist in Mentor can help you improve your diet and your self-confidence, thus helping to improve your mental health as well.
Oral health affects self-confidence
Individuals with an unhealthy smile often feel insecure speaking, smiling, and interacting with others. Concerns over their appearance can lead them to become more withdrawn, less comfortable in social situations, and more likely to avoid personal interactions. Taking care of the oral health issues that cause an unhealthy smile can not only improve the individual’s appearance, but their psychological well-being and self-confidence too.
Smile makeovers such as veneers, teeth whitening, and Invisalign® can also help improve mental health and self-esteem by giving patients a bright, beautiful new smile. This can make it easier to be more proactive at work, outgoing in social settings, and happier overall at work and at home.
Some mental health issues can lead to poor oral health
Some mental health issues such as anxiety, panic disorder, and depression, can make visiting the dentist difficult. Anxiety can lead to fear of the dentist while depression may lead to apathy about overall oral health. These issues can cause oral health to deteriorate and increase the anxiety, panic, and depression that initially led to avoiding the dentist. Working with a skilled dentist who has experience with these issues, and offers solutions such as sedation dentistry, can help a patient feel confident enough to properly address their oral health.
Some medications used to improve mental health can have oral side effects
Some types of medications used to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns cause oral side effects such as dry mouth. This can increase the risk of developing cavities and gum disease. An experienced dentist can help relieve the side effects of dry mouth and help prevent oral health complications through both medical and holistic health approaches.
Mental health can affect motivation to visit the dentist
Mental health problems can sometimes lead to a lack of motivation when it comes to taking action on overall physical and oral health issues. This lack of motivation can make visiting the doctor or dentist feel like an overwhelming task. A dentist who schedules virtual visits can help patients take the first step by allowing the appointment to take place in the comfort of the patient’s own home. Once a relationship is established, it can increase a patient’s motivation to make an in-person dental visit.
Take the step to improve your oral health and mental health by contacting Great Lakes Dental in Mentor to schedule an appointment. Let our team of dedicated dental professionals help you regain your self-confidence by regaining your oral health!