Aa
Psychosomatic gum problem?
Is it possible to have a psychosomatic mouth problem? Recently, I've had a problem with a gum which flares up and goes a bit funny. There isn't usually any really notable pain or discomfort (although sometimes it can be and it does worry me. If pressed on hard, it can be a –little- uncomfortable, but not really any more painful than, say, any larger pressure on a normal body part would be, and certainly not severe by ANY means. If you were to fall over, get a lump on your leg and poke it, that would hurt more. The pain is not sharp, stabbing or anything more than momentary. I think it’s to be expected, given the swelling) and it doesn't seep or bleed. I have since been to the dentist, who didn't comment on the tooth or the gum. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the tooth - i.e, it isn't discoloured, painful and doesn't look like there might be a cavity. The swelling in my gum also fluctuates - it can swell and then go back to normal. I am a university student and EXTREMELY unhappy at university, as well as stressed and sleepless from my course. I hate where I'm living, what I'm doing and my life here in general. My friends, who I was extremely close to, are on the other side of the country (sometimes on the other side of Europe) with new friends, while the people on my course aren’t... it seems...my kind of people, really. Over the internet, I don't see why I shouldn't be frank about this. It is the unhappiest I have been in a long, long time; in fact, probably the unhappiest I have EVER been in my life. It doesn’t feel like my heart has been broken, it feels like it’s been shattered into fragments and then nuked. I'm not going to turn this into a mental health topic. The fact is, I am going through some extremely stressful, traumatic and damaging times which I have hitherto been fortunate never to have experienced before. I say this because I've noticed that when I go home, the swelling never occurs. My family recently visited and we had a lovely time and I was very happy - no gum swelling AT ALL. They left, I had a horrible experience at uni, and it flared up like hell again. I like to think that I have good dental hygiene. I was lax in my early adolescence, I admit, but for the last few years I have brushed 2/3 times daily and all that.
I do NOT want to know what you think it could be. I do NOT want a diagnosis. I know that internet diagnosis cannot be a proper diagnosis. PLEASE do not make such comments, it'll just make me worry even more and I don't need any additional stress at the minute. My question is this:
a) is there any (however small) previous evidence that depression/ high emotional stress can cause such a problem?
b) can such a problem be caused by lack of sleep (not extreme, but fairly regular)?
c) can such problems be environmental?
d) can people have strange reactions to WHERE they are living or with whom?
e) can such problems be caused by dietary environment? (I am not vegetarian, it was never part of my culture as a child. However, in uni, I tend to eat one meal a day (small meal, mid evening), and have a diet which is low in protein and things such as rice and potatoes, high in vegetables. Largely because I'm a terrible cook and chicken still screams salmonella to me. I try to avoid pre-cooked meals. I have a relatively high calcium diet - plenty of milk and broccoli, but not much else.)
f) can such problems be caused by wisdom teeth? (NOT impacted, perfectly healthy, just coming through very gradually and, as is common in my problem, being utter painful pains in the buttock)
g) can such problems be indicative of other illnesses? (a high familial trait of problems such as severe anaemia, bipolar depression and personal susceptibility to lung infections, emotional problems and stress related aches and pains)
h) allergies? pollution? (I lived on a main street in st petersberg for two months, my body, unused to the constant traffic and pollution at all hours did all kinds of crazy things. I can only assume it was the pollution, anyway. I live on a very busy street here as well. Back home, the pollution is less heavy. Compare a small city to a rather rural medium sized town, away from the main streets.)
i) generally, can it be psychosomatic?
Think that's enough broad knowledge. As I've said, the swelling began at a very stressful time. I have other stress things - headaches, joint aches and backaches. I get stressed and depressed A LOT. I like to think I have pretty standard hygiene, including dental. I don't eat many sugary treats (an allergic reaction to chocolate killed that one a long time ago). It has NOT got worse (actually, has never since been bad as when it first appeared). The dentist has NOT commented on it (largely because dental work is at home, where it hasn't been a problem. It is NOT painful, but I still have sensation in the tooth and gum. It is NOT constant. Other than getting slightly less worse, the nature of it has NOT changed.
Because I'm naturally a horrifically tactless and blunt person, all of the above is true, sometimes in too much detail. As said before, DON'T give diagnosis. Answering all the numbered questions is enough. I do have to add, that I find it rather weird... so, any thoughts? (without stressing me too much :P)
Sorry for the rant. Any answers welcome :)
I do NOT want to know what you think it could be. I do NOT want a diagnosis. I know that internet diagnosis cannot be a proper diagnosis. PLEASE do not make such comments, it'll just make me worry even more and I don't need any additional stress at the minute. My question is this:
a) is there any (however small) previous evidence that depression/ high emotional stress can cause such a problem?
b) can such a problem be caused by lack of sleep (not extreme, but fairly regular)?
c) can such problems be environmental?
d) can people have strange reactions to WHERE they are living or with whom?
e) can such problems be caused by dietary environment? (I am not vegetarian, it was never part of my culture as a child. However, in uni, I tend to eat one meal a day (small meal, mid evening), and have a diet which is low in protein and things such as rice and potatoes, high in vegetables. Largely because I'm a terrible cook and chicken still screams salmonella to me. I try to avoid pre-cooked meals. I have a relatively high calcium diet - plenty of milk and broccoli, but not much else.)
f) can such problems be caused by wisdom teeth? (NOT impacted, perfectly healthy, just coming through very gradually and, as is common in my problem, being utter painful pains in the buttock)
g) can such problems be indicative of other illnesses? (a high familial trait of problems such as severe anaemia, bipolar depression and personal susceptibility to lung infections, emotional problems and stress related aches and pains)
h) allergies? pollution? (I lived on a main street in st petersberg for two months, my body, unused to the constant traffic and pollution at all hours did all kinds of crazy things. I can only assume it was the pollution, anyway. I live on a very busy street here as well. Back home, the pollution is less heavy. Compare a small city to a rather rural medium sized town, away from the main streets.)
i) generally, can it be psychosomatic?
Think that's enough broad knowledge. As I've said, the swelling began at a very stressful time. I have other stress things - headaches, joint aches and backaches. I get stressed and depressed A LOT. I like to think I have pretty standard hygiene, including dental. I don't eat many sugary treats (an allergic reaction to chocolate killed that one a long time ago). It has NOT got worse (actually, has never since been bad as when it first appeared). The dentist has NOT commented on it (largely because dental work is at home, where it hasn't been a problem. It is NOT painful, but I still have sensation in the tooth and gum. It is NOT constant. Other than getting slightly less worse, the nature of it has NOT changed.
Because I'm naturally a horrifically tactless and blunt person, all of the above is true, sometimes in too much detail. As said before, DON'T give diagnosis. Answering all the numbered questions is enough. I do have to add, that I find it rather weird... so, any thoughts? (without stressing me too much :P)
Sorry for the rant. Any answers welcome :)
Sorry to read of your problem at such a late date. However, if you have not as yet obtained a specific answer, you present a classical picture of the effects of your situation on your oral health. A tremendous amount of research has justified this statement, and if you still would like to learn more you may drop me a note at my e-mail address.
jonk
jonk
Honestly, I only read your opening question. "Is it possible to have a psychosomatic mouth problem?" Answer. Sure.
Most of these..."a) is there any (however small) previous evidence that depression/ high emotional stress can cause such a problem?
b) can such a problem be caused by lack of sleep (not extreme, but fairly regular)?
c) can such problems be environmental?
d) can people have strange reactions to WHERE they are living or with whom?
e) can such problems be caused by dietary environment? (I am not vegetarian, it was never part of my culture as a child. However, in uni, I tend to eat one meal a day (small meal, mid evening), and have a diet which is low in protein and things such as rice and potatoes, high in vegetables. Largely because I'm a terrible cook and chicken still screams salmonella to me. I try to avoid pre-cooked meals. I have a relatively high calcium diet - plenty of milk and broccoli, but not much else.)
f) can such problems be caused by wisdom teeth? (NOT impacted, perfectly healthy, just coming through very gradually and, as is common in my problem, being utter painful pains in the buttock)
g) can such problems be indicative of other illnesses? (a high familial trait of problems such as severe anaemia, bipolar depression and personal susceptibility to lung infections, emotional problems and stress related aches and pains)
h) allergies? pollution? (I lived on a main street in st petersberg for two months, my body, unused to the constant traffic and pollution at all hours did all kinds of crazy things. I can only assume it was the pollution, anyway. I live on a very busy street here as well. Back home, the pollution is less heavy. Compare a small city to a rather rural medium sized town, away from the main streets.)
i) generally, can it be psychosomatic? "
No.
Not unless you could also be clenching your teeth at night from the stress or perhaps have some medical problem that affects your gums directly.
So, if you want to know what you can do to help it (stop here if you don't), start flossing in case it's gingivitis, and make a conscious effort to stop clenching. You can also use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth as clenching your teeth can make them hurt by stressing the periodontal ligament.
Hope this helps.
Best to you,
Gellia
Oops...you didn't want help. Well, try it anyway.
Most of these..."a) is there any (however small) previous evidence that depression/ high emotional stress can cause such a problem?
b) can such a problem be caused by lack of sleep (not extreme, but fairly regular)?
c) can such problems be environmental?
d) can people have strange reactions to WHERE they are living or with whom?
e) can such problems be caused by dietary environment? (I am not vegetarian, it was never part of my culture as a child. However, in uni, I tend to eat one meal a day (small meal, mid evening), and have a diet which is low in protein and things such as rice and potatoes, high in vegetables. Largely because I'm a terrible cook and chicken still screams salmonella to me. I try to avoid pre-cooked meals. I have a relatively high calcium diet - plenty of milk and broccoli, but not much else.)
f) can such problems be caused by wisdom teeth? (NOT impacted, perfectly healthy, just coming through very gradually and, as is common in my problem, being utter painful pains in the buttock)
g) can such problems be indicative of other illnesses? (a high familial trait of problems such as severe anaemia, bipolar depression and personal susceptibility to lung infections, emotional problems and stress related aches and pains)
h) allergies? pollution? (I lived on a main street in st petersberg for two months, my body, unused to the constant traffic and pollution at all hours did all kinds of crazy things. I can only assume it was the pollution, anyway. I live on a very busy street here as well. Back home, the pollution is less heavy. Compare a small city to a rather rural medium sized town, away from the main streets.)
i) generally, can it be psychosomatic? "
No.
Not unless you could also be clenching your teeth at night from the stress or perhaps have some medical problem that affects your gums directly.
So, if you want to know what you can do to help it (stop here if you don't), start flossing in case it's gingivitis, and make a conscious effort to stop clenching. You can also use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth as clenching your teeth can make them hurt by stressing the periodontal ligament.
Hope this helps.
Best to you,
Gellia
Oops...you didn't want help. Well, try it anyway.
You said no diagnoses, then you asked for a whole college paper write up doing more than diagnosing you. Are you going to pay me for such an order? Anyway, I have REAL tooth problems. It feels nothing like the bull you are talking about. Mine hurts so bad that I want to rip them out sometimes.
Just quit poking it and be nicer to people you expect help from.
Thanks.
Just quit poking it and be nicer to people you expect help from.
Thanks.
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