{"id":89,"date":"2023-04-12T17:08:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T17:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lacqdental.com\/blog\/?p=89"},"modified":"2023-07-13T17:16:07","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T17:16:07","slug":"is-depression-impacting-your-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lacqdental.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/12\/is-depression-impacting-your-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Depression Impacting Your Oral Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the United States alone, as of 2023, an estimated 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. This is nearly 10% higher than data collected in 2015. The difficult part of dealing with depression is that it can impact nearly every facet of your life, from your emotional wellbeing to your physical and oral health. While you may not realize it, symptoms of your depression may be increasing your risk of certain dental health issues<\/a>, like cavities, ultimately leading to worsening anxiety, apathy, or other symptoms of your condition. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Can Depression Impact Your Oral Health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depression can have an impact on everything from your mood and sleep to your cognitive and behavioral actions. Because of this, many people who deal with this condition find it difficult to find the motivation to take care of themselves, from showering and cleaning their environment to brushing and flossing their teeth. In many cases, oral health practices are some of the first routines to be lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have also shown physiological connections between depression and oral health, like findings published by the University of Washington\u2019s dental education program that connected decreased saliva flow to depression. Dry mouth and minimal saliva production has been shown to increase cavities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You Do to Manage Your Health with Depression?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several ways you can help manage your oral health if you have depression, keeping the two issues from colliding and having a snowball effect on your overall wellness. Some of these practices include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n