Tulsa Dentist Sees More Dental Issues Due To COVID-19

COVID-19 has turned many of our routines upside-down and that, some dentists say, is leading to dental problems.

Dentists across the country are warning people that all the added stress - is causing us to grind and crack our teeth more than usual.

When Oklahoma hit Phase 3 of re-opening, Dr. Neil Hasty of Aspire Dental in Tulsa says patients started coming back.

And he started seeing about 30% more complaints about dental pain.

He tells us he's treating more cracked or ground-down teeth, and shattered crowns and fillings, than usual.

He believes work-from-home posture could also be contributing to patients’ issues.

"Maybe they're sitting on the couch and kind of folded up a little bit more, working on a laptop versus sitting in normal business attire and sitting up,” Hasty says. “And the posture all from the shoulders, to the slumping of the neck - all that plays a role across the musculature and architecture up by your face."

Hasty recommends alleviating stress by relaxing, meditating, praying, or reading.

Depending on the severity of your situation, he says it could be fixed by adjusting your bite or by wearing an over-the-counter mouthguard.

 However, the damage may require fillings or extractions.