Under ideal circumstances, you may feel confident that your oral care routine is more than capable of protecting you against problems with tooth decay and gum disease. Unfortunately, “ideal circumstances” can be elusive at times, which means people are often trying to focus on their oral health needs while also contending with problems like stress, fatigue, and other matters that might affect their mood and well-being. Even a short interruption in your routine may have lasting consequences. Poor oral hygiene can lead to the accumulation of tartar deposits that make you more vulnerable to cavities and gingivitis. Recognizing when something is affecting you, and staying committed to your oral hygiene, can help you avoid this trouble. Remember that at your regular dental exams with your Ankeny, IA dentist, you can undergo a professional teeth cleaning to address any buildup of tartar that might be present.
How Consistent Is Your Current Oral Care Routine?
Are you sometimes guilty of not brushing or flossing before bed? Do you always make time to thoroughly brush your teeth after waking up? A good routine is only effective when you stick to it. You may find this difficult at times when you are in poor health, or when you are dealing with exhaustion due to lack of sleep. Stress can also make oral care more difficult. In addition to affecting your sleep habits and general mood, stress may lead to a change in your diet choices, which can mean your teeth are exposed to more harmful sugars.
Sleep Deprivation Can Make It Hard To Focus On Proper Brushing And Flossing
If you are struggling to sleep enough at night, your days can become difficult due to powerful feelings of fatigue. Those issues can be particularly hard to deal with in the mornings and at night, times when people perform smile care. Even if you are continuing to brush and floss, inattention can make these habits less effective. It should be noted that if you have problems with fatigue as well as snoring, and trouble breathing at night, you may need to worry about sleep apnea!
Stress And Illness Can Also Interfere With Your Smile Care
Being physically ill can drain a person, and make them less focused on anything other than their recovery. While prioritizing rest is important, you should still give yourself time to brush and floss. You may have a higher risk of dental troubles while feeling ill because of medications that cause dry mouth, or cough drops that contain sugar.
Stress can affect a person physically in many ways. If your stress responses include issues with dry mouth or teeth grinding, you may do more harm to your teeth until you manage these difficult feelings.
Count On Consistent, Quality Oral Health Care At Our Ankeny, IA Dentist’s Office
Our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office is proud to have helped many people in and around our community maintain good oral care habits. To find out more about our services, please call Dental Impressions in Ankeny at (515) 965-0230.
