Did you know that stress can affect your oral health? April is designated as an awareness month for many different health conditions, such as Autism Awareness, STD Awareness, and Parkinson’s Awareness, to name a few. April also creates awareness for a common American condition: stress. Today is National Stress Awareness day. Over half of Americans said they are concerned about their level of stress in a 2009 poll by the American Psychological Association. If you are one of the many Americans who suffers from stress, Dr. James Fondriest wants you to know the effects can snowball.
Stress Can Affect Your Oral Health
Stress can start from a number of causes; most notable causes include money. In the same APA study, 73% of those polled reported money as the number one stressor in their lives. Continued stress can result in both physical and emotional tension. Chronic stress often comes with a characteristic or habit that you probably do not realize is related to your stress. Clenching your teeth is an example of a stress related habit caused by TMJ disorder. Often clenching your jaw can occur during sleep or throughout the day under your radar so you may not notice when you are grinding your teeth together. What you will notice about teeth clenching is the havoc it will cause to your overall health.
TMJ Disorder Symptoms are Far Reaching
TMJ disorder, or TMD, is a condition associated with jaw pain. Symptoms of TMD include, migraines, jaw popping, neck and shoulder pain, bruxism, difficulty opening your mouth, earaches, and ringing noises. All of these symptoms can affect the way you feel both physically and psychologically. Therefore, treating your TMJ disorder is important not only to your oral health, but also your overall health. Stress may reduce your alertness. You may start slumping in your chair or not standing up straight. Poor posture has been linked to TMJ.
Treatment for TMD in Chicago
Chicago cosmetic dentist, Dr. Fondriest can help you relieve stress with treatments that address your jaw pain. Nightguards, or mouthguards worn during sleep, often prevent teeth grinding or bruxism which stresses your jaw joint. Dr. Fondriest is also experienced in treating malocclusion or bad bite that causes tension in your jaw. Consider these treatments for TMJ disorder as treatments for your stress levels. Without TMD, you can experience eating and speaking without jaw pain, truly restful sleep, and reduced headaches.
Alleviate TMJ Symptoms
For more information about how Chicago dentist, Dr. Fondriest can treat TMD, contact our Lake Forest dentist office at (847)234-0517. At Lake Forest Dental Arts, we can offer comprehensive treatments for complex cases of TMJ disorder to patients from the North Shore and Chicago.