During the chaos and uncertainty of the ongoing global pandemic, many individuals have noticed they have increased stress in their lives. Stress can be detrimental to your overall wellbeing, including your oral health.
Deteriorating oral health can also cause cosmetic dental damage. Behavior exacerbated by stress can make your smile lose its luster. Dr. Frederick Marra, a dentist serving the greater Albany, NY area, describes three stress-related habits that can lead to you seeking cosmetic dentistry solutions.
Stress Habits Can Harm Your Teeth
Choosing Beverages That Stain
Heightened stress levels can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule. If you wake up feeling groggy due to a lack of good-quality sleep, you might turn to coffee or tea for a boost of caffeine to get you through your day.
However, dark-colored drinks like tea and coffee contain tannins that absorb into tooth enamel and leave stains behind. These stains cannot be removed with teeth brushing or flossing.
Adding milk to your beverage or choosing a lighter-colored brew can lower the likelihood of tooth discoloration when drinking coffee, but the risk is not eliminated. If you notice yellowing, staining, or discoloration in your teeth, you can ask your dentist about professional teeth whitening treatment.
Grinding Teeth
Teeth grinding or clenching can begin or increase with higher levels of stress. This act of grating the top row of teeth against the bottom row creates an abnormal amount of pressure on your teeth, gums, and jaw.
This can lead to a number of painful dental issues, but it can also harm the appearance of your teeth. Teeth grinding can cause your teeth to chip, crack, or break.
Major damage will require restorative dental work, but minor cases can be resolved with cosmetic dentistry. Tooth bonding can amend small cracks or chips in teeth, among other cosmetic benefits.
Skipping Dental Cleanings
With the restrictions and regulations still in place due to the pandemic, many dental patients think it is easier to skip their regular teeth cleanings rather than arrange an appointment with their dentist. This can be detrimental to their oral health and inherently their smile’s appearance.
During these cleanings, dentists remove plaque and tartar from spots in their mouth difficult to reach with teeth brushing. This prevents tooth decay and ensures your teeth remain strong enough to resist cosmetic damage.
Find Cosmetic Dentistry Treatment in Albany, NY
Capital Region Complete Dental Care & Implants offers professional teeth whitening and other cosmetic dentistry treatments to patients near Albany, NY. Dr. Marra also specializes in restorative and general dentistry. To schedule an appointment with us, contact our office online or reach us by phone at 518.650.1930.