Could dental treatment lift you out of depression?
In Australia alone, there are three million people suffering every day from depression or anxiety. This is a huge number, and the issue is extremely complex. Neither the causes of depression nor of anxiety can be boiled down to one thing, and the causes will also differ from person to person. But with that said, there is a growing body of evidence supporting the idea that dental health is linked to mental health. This means that making an appointment with your dentist at the first sign of tooth pain, or investing in orthodontic treatment could actually make you feel better on the inside., as well as giving you aesthetically pleasing teeth.
Smiling will promote your happiness. Many people think that when you are happy, you smile. Yes, this is true, but it also works the other way around. Proactively choosing to smile will also make you a happier person. A study conducted by Dr Robert Zajonc found that smiling has a direct effect on activities in the brain associated with happiness. The science behind it is that a cooler brain leads to happier feelings. Smiling cools down the blood that is sent to the brain, and the result is a wave of happiness. But, of course, you would be less likely to smile if you felt self-conscious about your teeth. This is a great reason to visit a cosmetic dentist and feel more confident with your smile.
Stop your teeth grinding. One of the main reasons that people grind their teeth is because of anxiety. And unfortunately, these people are caught in a difficult situation because anti-anxiety medications that abate the effects of anxiety can actually increase teeth grinding. This means that an alternative route to try is dental treatment. Dentists can identify teeth grinding (which is also known as bruxism) and supply patients with mouth guards to stop them grinding their teeth, enabling them to take anti-anxiety medication safely.
A connection between dental health and depression. A recent survey of more than 10,000 participants also found that a person's dental health is directly related to their level of depression, so the more dental problems a person has, the more depressed they are likely to be. Scientifically, this is thought to be the case because depression is linked to inflammation and poor dental health can also be a source of inflammation. This means that visiting your dentist could be a way of managing depression.
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