We oftentimes bring up how our dental health impacts our physical health and today we are going to take it one step further and discuss how our emotional health is also connected to our dental hygiene. In 2017, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 17.3 million American adults have been affected by depression. Researchers at Deakin University found that when experiencing problems with your dental hygiene, not only may you be more likely to be affected by depression, but the more complications with your dental health you have, the more severe your depression could be.
So if you’re wondering, how can my pearly whites have an impact on my mood, we are here with the answers. Depression is an inflammatory condition, meaning that inflammation in the body make us more prone to mental health struggles like depression. A common complication from poor dental hygiene is inflammation in the gums. On the other hand, depression makes it very hard to feel motivated to do things for your self-care and hygiene. When suffering from depression, lacking good oral care and struggling to make necessary appointments, such as your dental check ups are very common struggles. Unfortunately, poor dietary choices, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse are all more common when dealing with depression, and they hurt your teeth too.
So if you are struggling to attend to your oral health care and/or combating depression, here are a few tips on how to tackle the mental health and dental hygiene troubles.
- Talk to Your Treatment team: It is important to let your providers know how your mental and physical health are in tandem. Let your Krengel Dentist know if you are struggling with your dental hygiene routine or having trouble remembering to brush. We will have some helpful suggestions to share with you.
- Keep on Movin’: One thing that helps your teeth and your mental health is keeping up physical activity. Getting outside to get your dose of vitamin D while exercising to release proteins that help improve your brain’s ability to counteract depression is a way to bring a genuine smile on.
- Seek Support: As stated earlier, depression affects many american adults and our mental health is absolutely connected to our physical health. The stressful day-to-day can really take a toll on us if we are not equipped with coping skills and tools. Your Krengel Dental team is happy to share referrals for mental health providers with you.
We are here to make sure your summer is full of fun in the sun and happy, healthy smiles. Ready for your six month check up? Call now at 952-888-1311.