Boing Boing

Dentists report spike in cracked teeth likely due to pandemic stress

US dentists report a big increase in cracked teeth since the pandemic. Stress triggers bruxing (teeth clenching and grinding) which cracks teeth and breaks fillings and crowns. From CNN:

For [San Francisco oral surgeon Paul] Koshgerian's office, before the pandemic, treating one cracked tooth per day or every other day was normal. These days, two visits per day for fractured teeth have been the norm; on the worst days, he might see five cases.

Derek Peek — leader of Eastern Iowa Endodontics and diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics — found that in August and September, his office had already treated twice as many cracked teeth in comparison to those respective months last year, even with fewer patients this year.

Exit mobile version