{"id":363,"date":"2023-12-19T10:16:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T10:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketheightsfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=363"},"modified":"2024-01-04T22:17:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T22:17:49","slug":"how-holiday-stress-affects-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketheightsfamilydental.com\/blog\/how-holiday-stress-affects-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"The Risks of End-of-Year Jitters: How Holiday Stress Impacts Your Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
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True enough, the winter holidays are fun to celebrate. They often feature great parties, games, and meals with friends and family! Still, you might find these festivities draining as well. The resulting anxiety could then damage your mouth<\/a>. Luckily, it isn\u2019t too hard to avoid that latter outcome. Your Harker Heights dentist can even offer some tips. To that end, here\u2019s how holiday stress affects oral health and what you can do to manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Can Holiday Stress Affect Oral Health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you get stressed during the holidays, note how your mouth is doing. There\u2019s a good chance it\u2019ll develop oral disorders like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teeth Grinding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Teeth grinding (i.e., bruxism) usually stems from an improper bite. However, holiday stress can quickly worsen it. It\u2019d tempt you to clench your jaw all the more tightly (whether asleep or awake).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t tell if you\u2019re grinding your teeth, look for relevant symptoms. Telltale signs include headaches, face pain, disturbed sleep, and worn chompers. Should these apply to you, talk to your dentist at your next checkup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TMJ Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you get overwhelmed by the winter holidays, you might overwork your jaw in response. This habit is common enough. Left unchecked, though, it might result in TMJ pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, jaw aches aren\u2019t the only sign of TMJ troubles. You should also see if your jaw is popping or clicking. Similarly, confirm whether you have pain in or around your ears. Should all these symptoms apply, you may need a trip to the dentist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canker Sores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As you might know, canker sores are mouth ulcers. They\u2019re normally caused by overbrushing and biting your cheek harshly. That said, stress from the holiday season can also trigger these blemishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find yourself with canker sores, don\u2019t panic. They should clear up in one or two weeks. In the meantime, you can manage them with mouth rinses and medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You Do About It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the sake of your smile, you should try to fight holiday stress. There are several ways you could do so, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n