It is undeniable that we live in a world of stress: work, family, hurry … Who was a child again, the only ones immune to this frenetic pace, abstracted from reality in their world of games and fun. But apparently they are not saved either. According to the US Society of Anxiety and Stress Studies, there is a worrying increase in stress among the youngest children, figures that range from 8% in the child population to 20% in adolescents. And what does this have to do with the mouths of children? So much, since it is one of the parts of the body most sensitive to stress and is affected at various levels:

• Psychic effects: compulsive eating and usually rich in sugars, increases the risk of tooth decay.
• Physiological: they increase the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which causes alterations in the immune system, and there is also a decrease in the secretion of saliva and the oral environment becomes more acid, favoring the appearance of erosion and cavities.
• Behavioral: alterations in the diet, appearance of compulsive habits such as sucking the finger, nibbling the cheeks or lip, suction of the lower lip, bruxism and abandonment of oral hygiene, which can directly or indirectly affect your oral health.

Taking into account that childhood is an important phase in the formation of teeth, it is advisable to reduce possible stress situations. In addition, it is necessary to insist on generating the habit of brushing the teeth at least 2 times a day or after meals for at least 2 minutes with the correct technique and with the products that best suit them.