Last year the Psychiatric Times released this piece on the mental health crisis in America. We’ve heard time and time again about how our society is experiencing a loneliness crisis that has compounded an already staggering rise in mental illness. This crisis has worsened further over the last two years. According to the World Health Organization, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase of anxiety and depression worldwide.
May was Mental Health awareness month. In honor of that, our team at Ecological Dentistry wants to help raise awareness for mental health, show the two-way connection between mental health and oral hygiene, and provide tips for maintaining good oral hygiene through mental strain.
The Connection Between Mental Health and Oral Hygiene
Anxiety and depression are two of the most prevalent forms of mental illness nationwide. Both of these mental illnesses are complex in their causes and presentation. Depression isn’t just excessive sadness. Depression can severely affect an individual’s mood, energy levels, and motivation to complete even menial tasks. Though depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses don’t directly cause issues within the mouth, their effect on motivation and energy can affect an individual’s ability and motivation to take good care of their teeth. This lack of brushing, flossing, and overall caretaking can lead to periodontal, tooth decay, and other oral diseases. Mental illnesses that affect higher brain functions such as Schizophrenia have also been shown to have a strong correlation with poor oral hygiene.
How Oral Health Can Affect Mental Health
While mental health can affect oral hygiene and health, the inverse is true as well. Poor oral hygiene has been associated with an increased risk of mental health issues. Poor oral health has been associated with increased social anxiety, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and speech problems. All of these issues can compound to put an individual at an increased risk for developing anxiety and depression.
A 2016 study analyzed this connection, noting that the effects that mental health and oral hygiene have on each other are a two-way street. Disclosure of mental illness in a dental or clinical setting is essential to treating the body as a whole. Mental health doesn’t just affect the mind, it can indirectly affect the body. Good oral hygiene is just one step of treating individuals holistically to promote overall health within the body.
Tips for Maintaining Good Oral Health Through Mental Illness
If you or someone you love struggles with mental illness it’s important to find ways for those individuals to maintain good oral hygiene habits. Not everyone who struggles with mental health has trouble maintaining good oral hygiene, but for those who do, there are several steps you can take.
Reframing:
One hallmark sign of depression is a lack of motivation. Depending on severity, even taking a shower or brushing one’s teeth can feel like an impossible task. One way to approach this issue is to reframe the task into something positive. Instead of brushing your teeth being a task that needs to be accomplished, it may be helpful to think of it in terms of what you deserve. Instead of “I need to brush my teeth”, thinking of it as “My body deserves to have clean teeth” may be helpful.
Talking to Your Dentist:
If you have trouble with mental illness and recognize that your oral hygiene suffers, it may be good to talk to your dentist about your concerns. They may be able to work with you to schedule more frequent cleanings or provide solutions to help improve your oral hygiene.
Our team at Ecologic Dentistry believes in holistic dentistry. We don’t just treat your teeth: our aim is to consider the whole person, physically and mentally. If you’re interested in being seen by Dr. Yamashiro, contact us to schedule an appointment today.
We recognize that our team at Ecologic Dentistry are not mental health experts. This article is not meant to diagnose or give clinical advice for those who suffer with mental illness. Our aim is to present the connection between mental illness and oral hygiene; and provide tips for maintaining good oral hygiene. If you suffer from severe mental illness, we implore you to seek professional counseling help