A guide to dental and mental health from our dentist

In recent years, the link between good oral health and good general health has been discussed in the media, backed up by a wealth of research conducted by universities.

But a lesser-known factor that can have an impact on your dental health is your mental health. And as dental anxieties become more widely acknowledged by dental practitioners, this is something we feel is worth exploring.

At Canon Street Dental Centre, our dentist city of London will always aim to help patients who have dental phobias or aversions, alongside mental health issues to get the best care for their teeth and gums. We do not judge our patients and simply want to help you get your teeth and smile to a level that you are happy with.

But how can your mental health affect your dental health? Our dentist City of London discusses this question in more depth below.

Neglect

An often overlooked symptom of many mental illnesses is poor hygiene.

And this often extends to caring for your teeth and gums. If you suffer from an illness such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety, it can be very hard to prioritise your dental health.

Our dentist City of London can help those who suffer from these mental illnesses or many more to manage their dental hygiene at home and to restore teeth that have been damaged due to neglect. Once again, we will not judge and will simply aim to restore your smile and the function of your mouth to its fullest.

Anxiety

This is more closely linked to the dental phobias we were discussing earlier.

A patient who feels anxious may be more likely to skip dental appointments or feel that their dental team is judging them. If you suffer from dental anxiety as a result of generalised anxiety, our team can help.

We can offer a nonclinical appointment to you so you can get to know our team before we begin any treatments or assessments of your mouth. We can also offer sedation options or, in extreme cases, we can refer you to have any treatments performed under a general anaesthetic at a nearby hospital.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders such as bulimia can cause issues with the enamel on the teeth due to the excess amount of acid in the mouth.

Luckily, there are ways our team can protect your teeth against acid damage, such as applying fluoride sealant or in more extreme cases, we can place crowns or veneers to protect your teeth.

Psychiatric medication

Most medications used to treat mental illness are harmless to the enamel of your teeth directly, although many of them result in a condition known as dry mouth.

This is a problem because saliva in the mouth is useful for removing plaque and accumulated bacteria throughout the day, so medications such as antipsychotics or antidepressants can be extremely detrimental.

Once again, our team can apply fluoride sealant to help protect your teeth from accumulating plaque in the mouth and can advise you on ways to keep your mouth hydrated using diet or chewing sugar-free gum.

If you have any queries about how your mental health may be impacting your dental health, then please feel free to contact our team today.