Stress and Your Oral Health

The grinding of teeth has long been held as one physical manifestation of stress and anxiety. For example, individuals who grind their teeth tend to report more symptoms of anxiety and depression than non-bruxers (Gungormus & Erciyas, 2009; Manfredini, Landi, Romagnoli, & Bosco, 2004). And, compared to non-bruxers, those who grind their teeth tend to report greater life stress and are more likely to suffer from DSM-defined depression and anxiety disorders (Ohayon, Li, & Guilleminault, 2001). Even in rats, experimentally inducing emotional stress leads to brux-like symptoms, compared to controls (Rosales et al., 2002).