Here we are. In January. The pandemic has been having it's way with us since mid-March. We're ten months into this thing, with only limited hope in sight. Yet somehow, a new surprise comes along that makes it seem like there's always some new way for the virus to keep us down.

Obviously, one of the number one things that's been discussed since the start of the pandemic has been mental health. It's been challenging on nearly every level for everyone at some point. But mental health isn't the only thing that's been suffering. Dental health is also taking a big hit, too.

According to the Portland Press Herald, people have been experiencing all sorts of stress related problems with their teeth/mouth. Everything from teeth grinding, to decay from lack of brushing, to jaw problems. Even cracked teeth. People are coming into the dentist's office with all sorts of problems they've never had before.

But it's a double edged sword. Lots of people have been nervous about going to the dentist, because of COVID. They're potentially staying away out of fear of the virus, which exacerbates the issue they're having due to lack of treatment.

But really, this all comes down to stress. The whole thing. Your teeth are cracking, because you grind them in your sleep. You grind your teeth in your sleep because you're stressed for any of the hundred reasons available every time you open your phone and look at social media or the news.

So really, dental health and mental health go hand in hand. If you're suffering from any of these problems, you may want to seek a new way to manage your stress. Unfortunately, between the virus and the overall state of uncertainty in our country in general, stress levels probably won't be dropping a lot in the near future.

So hopefully, you can learn some new techniques and learn to manage it better. Otherwise, it's gonna look pretty funny when you go to smile in your next family photo, and you've ground all your teeth down to little nubs. And hopefully, we can soon find our way to better days. Here's to hoping!

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Here are some tips for self-care during the pandemic:

More From WWMJ Ellsworth Maine