Dentists are seeing a rise in people with cracked teeth as COVID-19 stress drives us to clench our jaws

• Dentists have seen a rise in headaches and jaw pain because of pandemic-related stress.
• Whether you have a chipped tooth or not, don't skip the dentist to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Chipped and cracked teeth are on the rise, and dentists say it may be caused by pandemic-related stress.

A survey, conducted in February by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, found that over 60% of the 2,299 dentists surveyed saw an uptick in chipped and cracked teeth among patients.

The same portion saw a rise in headaches and jaw pain, which are the warning signs of temporomandibular joint disorder (impaired jaw movement).

The chipped and cracked teeth may be because over 70% of dentsits have also seen a rise in patients grinding and clenching their teeth, otherwise known as bruxism.

Karyn Kahn, DDS at the Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the survey, told Insider she's seeing the same - clenching, grinding, and also more jaw muscle pain and headaches - and she believes stress has a lot to do with it.

"Our polling has served as a barometer for pandemic stress affecting patients and communities seen through the eyes of dentists," Marko Vujicic, vice president of the ADA Health Policy Institute, said in a statement.

What you can do to prevent grinding and clenching, even if you're stressed

Stress makes us clench and grind our teeth.

If feasible, Kahn recommends that her patients cut down on cigarettes and alcohol, which are linked to stress and clenching your jaw.

Beyond that, Kahn suggested de-stressing by putting away the computer an hour before bedtime, taking a warm shower, or playing soothing music.

If you notice yourself clenching your teeth, Kahn recommends putting your lips together, teeth apart, and resting your tongue behind your front teeth or the roof of your mouth.

"It's like breaking any other habit," Kahn said.

If you're concerned about your clenching and grinding, you can consult a dentist. If necessary, the dentist may suggest a properly designed nightguard to reduce muscle overload and to protect your teeth from grinding.

A chipped tooth or not, don't skip the dentist

Whether you're stressed about your teeth or not, dentists say don't skip your routine dental checkup to prevent a COVID-19 infection.

Delaying dental care can lead to gum disease, which is linked to higher odds of dementia, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis.

Kami Hoss, DDS, previously told Insider that dentists have mitigation strategies in place to prevent COVID-19 spread. And it's likely that your dentist is fully vaccinated which limits the spread of the virus to others.