If you suffer from bouts of depression, then you may be more prone to developing oral health problems than those who do not have this mental health condition. Read on to learn why.
1. Antidepressants can have side-effects which affect your dental health
Lots of people who have depression take antidepressants to manage the symptoms of this condition. However, whilst this medication can help sufferers to stabilise their moods and remain functional during depressive episodes, it can also cause side-effects, some of which may impact their oral health.
For example, some types of antidepressants can reduce the production of salvia and in doing so, can cause xerostomia (or dry mouth). Xerostomia can then result in more plaque bacteria remaining stuck to the teeth and gums (as there isn't enough saliva to wash the bacteria off these surfaces).
As such, if you are taking an antidepressant which causes dry mouth, your chances of experiencing halitosis, dental caries and periodontal disease may be higher than they would if you were not taking this medication. However, in this situation, it is very important not to simply stop taking your antidepressant, as doing so could have a detrimental impact on your mental health.
Instead, you should talk to your dentist about this problem, as they will be able to offer you a range of treatments that should help you to manage this side-effect and thus reduce your risk of experiencing the above-mentioned issues. For example, they might provide you with a moisturising oral gel or spray which, when applied to your gums and tongue, will act as a substitute for the salvia your body is not producing.
2 Your depression may lead to you neglecting your oral health
If your depression makes you feel hopeless and lethargic, then you might end up neglecting your oral health, as you may feel too sad and exhausted to pick up your toothbrush or floss your teeth. Failing to perform basic oral hygiene activities could lead to your gums becoming inflamed and your tooth enamel eroding, which could then put you at risk of gingivitis, abscesses and dental caries. This, in turn, may result in you requiring extensive dental treatment, in the form of gum grafts, root canals and fillings.
To minimise your chances of damaging your oral health during depressive episodes, you should try to make it as easy as possible for yourself to clean your teeth. For example, it might be a good idea to keep a small bottle of mouthwash next to your bed, so that you can easily rinse off the food particles and plaque that will be left on your teeth if you consume a snack whilst lying in bed.
Likewise, you should keep a toothbrush not only in your bathroom, but also next to your kitchen sink, so that if you're sitting in the kitchen and can't motivate yourself to walk to the bathroom to clean your teeth, you only have to walk a few feet to the sink near you in order to carry out this task.
