{"id":13404,"date":"2017-12-28T16:55:29","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T16:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/?p=13404"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:38:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:38:13","slug":"family-dentist-in-arlington-heights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2017\/12\/28\/family-dentist-in-arlington-heights\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Family Dentist Answers \u2014 Does Stress Affect Kids\u2019 Oral Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-13405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/AdobeStock_92514620__1511888095_64209-300x176.jpg\" alt=\"sad little girl\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/AdobeStock_92514620__1511888095_64209-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/AdobeStock_92514620__1511888095_64209.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>It\u2019s easy to think that kids don\u2019t have anything to stress out about. After all, they don\u2019t have to worry about paying bills, going to work, or filing their taxes. You shouldn\u2019t underestimate your child\u2019s level of stress, though. There are plenty of circumstances that can make the young members of your family lose sleep. The stress could even be damaging their oral health! Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/our-services.html\">family dentist in Arlington Heights<\/a> is here to give you some key information about the relationship between your child\u2019s stress levels and potential damage to their smile.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Stress and Oral Health<\/h2>\n<p>There are several ways in which stress can affect your child\u2019s oral health. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stressful situations may make your young one turn to unhealthy, sugar-filled foods for comfort.<\/li>\n<li>If the entire family is going through a tough time in a financial sense, your kid might not get to see their children\u2019s dentist in Arlington Heights as often as they should.<\/li>\n<li>Stress can change the composition of saliva, making it less effective at washing away harmful bacteria.<\/li>\n<li>When a young child is anxious, they might turn back to old habits, such as thumb-sucking, that could damage their teeth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Stay on the Lookout for Stress in Your Children<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s easy for parents to get so caught up in their own routine that they don\u2019t realize the amount of pressure their children are under. However, it\u2019s important that you be aware of situations that could place extra stress on your child.<\/p>\n<p>Stress can affect children of any age. In young children, family or socio-economic circumstances may be to blame. Teenagers may be struggling with peer pressure at school, or they might be struggling to keep up in their classes. College-age young adults may not be getting adequate sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Take time to listen to your child, and be aware of any signs that they\u2019re having a difficult time emotionally. They might become overly moody, suddenly change their group of friends, experience headaches or stomach aches, or sleep too much or too little.<\/p>\n<h2>Protecting Your Child\u2019s Oral Health Through Thick and Thin<\/h2>\n<p>Of course, you want to do all you can to help your child cope with the emotions around a stressful situation, but you should also look after their oral health during these times. Here are a few tips for encouraging whole body and mind wellness in your young one:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Promote healthy eating habits. Prepare lots of vegetables and calcium-rich foods for your child to consume.<\/li>\n<li>Suggest that older children keep a journal as a creative outlet that can help them track their emotions.<\/li>\n<li>Talk to your child, being careful not to judge them for how they feel.<\/li>\n<li>Schedule appointments for your child with the family doctor, a mental health counselor if necessary, and your dentist in Arlington Heights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Stress can put a damper on your child\u2019s oral health. When you keep in touch with your little one\u2019s emotions and do your best to help them through tough times, you\u2019re protecting them from head to toe.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Westgate Dental Care<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The team of three talented dentists at Westgate Dental care is invested in the oral health of your entire family, including children who might be going through a difficult time. If you\u2019re concerned that your little one\u2019s teeth and gums might be suffering, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/\">contact our office<\/a> at 847-577-7171.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s easy to think that kids don\u2019t have anything to stress out about. After all, they don\u2019t have to worry about paying bills, going to work, or filing their taxes. You shouldn\u2019t underestimate your child\u2019s level of stress, though. There are plenty of circumstances that can make the young members of your family lose sleep. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Your Family Dentist Answers \u2014 Does Stress Affect Kids\u2019 Oral Health?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stress can damage your child\u2019s teeth and gums. Your family dentist in Arlington heights wants to help you protect your kid\u2019s smile through thick and thin.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2017\/12\/28\/family-dentist-in-arlington-heights\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Your Family Dentist Answers \u2014 Does Stress Affect Kids\u2019 Oral Health?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Stress can damage your child\u2019s teeth and gums. 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