Stress is causing a spike in chipped and cracked teeth

Stress is causing a spike in chipped and cracked teeth

During this year of pandemic stress, the American Dental Association says that dental health is a casualty. An ADA survey found more than 70% of dentists report an increase of patients with teeth grinding and clenching problems –conditions often associated with stress. “The number of chipped and cracked teeth really started to pick up as people’s stress level picked up,” said Dr. Paul Levine, of Levine Dental Associates in Milwaukee.

Out of dentists surveyed, 71% reported an increase in teeth grinding and clenching; 63% reported an increase in chipped and cracked teeth, and 62% reported an increase in temporomandibular joint disorder,according to the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute study released March 2. 

On Sept. 21,  fewer than 60% of dentists surveyed reported increases in the same categories. Most patients are unaware they have a problem until someone points it out, Levine said. “If you’re sleeping, you may not notice that you’re grinding your teeth, but your spouse or partner may notice,” he said. “It’s the same thing with clenching your teeth.”

Clenching and grinding teeth are different things.

Clenching is simply forceful, silent pressure on the jaws and teeth between the top and lower rows. Grinding occurs when the lower jaw is tightened and moves sideways against the upper jaw, Levine said. Grinding teeth often leave distinct patterns of wear that can be seen only during a dental exam.

Sometimes, dentists struggle to persuade patients they have a problem. “We can tell them that they have a problem and tell them they need a mouth guard, and they say they don’t have a problem, but we end up seeing them back in a month or so and the problem has gotten a lot worse and more expensive,” he said.

Mouth guards can be pricey, ranging from $150 to $700, though some patients find cheaper ones at sporting goods stores. They will not have a professional fit, but may do the job. Either way, a mouth guard is far cheaper than repairing a chipped or cracked tooth. Repairing a crown can range from $1,000 to $1,500; a cracked or chipped tooth can cost up to $3,000 in some cases, Levine said.

Mouth guards only treat the symptom. They don’t eliminate the underlying cause.  “Mouth guards are a temporary fix to a much bigger problem of stress from the pandemic,” Levine said. “Addressing the stress and finding ways to deal with the stress is the best way to fix all of this.” Walks, exercise, yoga and meditation are all good tools, he said.

Treatments for teeth grinding can range from mouth guards to Botox injections, usually administered by an oral surgeon. Botox limits the mobility of muscles in the jaw responsible for the grinding; injections typically last for up to six months, according to the ADA.

Click here to see complete USA Today article by James E. Causey of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

If you have any questions about chipped teeth or mouth health in general, call Prima Family Dental at 781-944-4450 and make an appointment with us today.