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Record number of Australians develop a VERY painful dental condition – and it’s all due to Covid
- Australian dentists seeing record number of patients who’ve grinded teeth
- Stress and anxiety of the pandemic has seen number of dental issues
- Experts fear pandemic of rotten and broken teeth due to lack of treatment
Two years of stress from the pandemic and lockdowns has seen a skyrocketing in damaged teeth as a result of grinding them, according to Australian dentists.
Regular check ups on numerous health conditions have been pushed to the side during the past 24 months, with long waiting lists to see orthodontists and dentists giving many Australians poor dental health.
The Victorian president of the Australian Dental Association said he’s seen record numbers of cracked teeth, broken fillings, and jaw pain as a result of grinding and clenching teeth, brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Two years of stress from the pandemic and lockdowns has seen a skyrocketing in damaged teeth as a result of grinding them, according to Australian dentists
Dentists have seen record numbers of cracked teeth, broken fillings and jaw pain as a result of grinding and clenching teeth, brought about by the ongoing Covid pandemic
‘There’s going to be the new pandemic of people with rotten teeth or broken teeth,’ Dr Jeremy Sternson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘People have got to the stage where they’re losing teeth, they’ve lost a lot of bone around the teeth. They’re going to start needing things like dentures or implants or some sort of prosthetics just to be able to function.’
The doctor, who has worked in the field for more than 25 years, said he saw unprecedented amounts of severe damage, lingering after missing key check ups over the past two years.
With dental clinics among the first businesses to close due to Covid outbreaks, people had little chance to ensure they maintained good dental hygiene.
Dr Sternson said the result was Australians needing surgeries after losing teeth or requiring implants and dentures.
He feared there could be a spate of conditions including gum disease which could lead to root canals or even tooth extractions.
‘Even today, I’ve seen a few people who had some small holes just before the pandemic was declared, couldn’t get in for two years, and now they are bordering on having root canals or teeth extracted,’ the ADA president said.
‘There has been a huge demand. A lot of it is to do with the stress and anxiety that people have experienced during the pandemic and during the last lockdowns that has seen them grinding their teeth.’
‘There’s going to be the new pandemic of people with rotten teeth or broken teeth,’ Dr Jeremy Sternson (pictured) said
He said he only saw a small number of patients for teeth grinding prior to the pandemic.
His counterpart in Sydney, Dr Michael Jones, saw similar trends.
‘I’m seeing it, and my colleagues in Sydney are seeing it,’ the NSW ADA president said.
‘Our waiting times have certainly blown out, and the average wait time to see a public dentist is now between 18 months and two years in NSW. It has become a chase-your-tail situation.’
Grinding teeth is common in people suffering from stress and anxiety.
Without proper treatment, teeth grinding can lead to moderate and several dental problems, including jaw disorders and gum disease.
Alcohol and drug consumption and smoking can increase how much people grind their teeth.
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