Quick fixes for dental problems
Dentists report a 260% uptick in mouth and jaw issues due to COVID stress. Here, 3 ways to ID and nip the problems in the bud
COVID-19 has touched every aspect of our lives, so it stands to reason that the pandemic is impacting our dental health too. “Not only are more patients complaining of jaw pain, tooth sensitivity and migraines, but I’m seeing three to four tooth fractures every day,” says New York prosthodontist Tammy Chen, D.D.S. Rodney Raanan, D.D.S., a Beverly Hills prosthodontist, reports a 120% increase in visits to fix cracked teeth over a 10-week period in 2020, compared to the same months in 2019.
Why are these concerns becoming more common? “COVID is maximizing stress,” says holistic dentist Nammy Patel, D.D.S. “Gum disease and teeth breakage can be evidence of stress. People often don’t identify how much stress they’re under and how it’s affecting them physically until they actually get sick.” The good news: In conjunction with your dentist’s advice, it’s easy to prevent—and treat— the worst dental effects of COVID stress. Here’s how.