How a bad hygiene habit might increase your risk of depression

You really can feel down in the mouth.

We tend to think of depression as something that exists in the mind, but the reality is that it affects the whole body — and the whole body can have an impact on depression, including your teeth and gums.

“Poor oral hygiene can lead to gum disease. Gum disease creates chronic inflammation,” Dr. Jason Auerbach, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, told The Post. “Chronic inflammation has been associated with a number of health conditions, including depression.”

The brain-mouth-body connection

People refer to the mouth as a gateway to the body — it’s where fuel enters to keep the body running, of course, but it can also be an entry point for undesirables, like certain bacteria.

Untreated infections in the mouth open the door for that bacteria to go directly into the bloodstream, potentially leading to life-threatening sepsis. These infections can also cause chronic inflammation, which is linked to a number of health conditions, including lowered immunity and heart disease.

Oral health is also inextricably linked to mental health. Patients who are struggling with oral health often change the way they think and act. Auerbach says patients may stop smiling in photos, start covering their mouths, and stop speaking up in meetings because they’re self-conscious about their teeth.

“The connection [between mental and oral health] is definitely stronger than most people think,” Auerbach said. “The reality is the body doesn’t divide itself into neat little compartments the way people perceive it does.”

Can you brush away the bad mood?

Research shows that people with common mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD) have higher rates of tooth decay and tooth than the general population.

The reason is not only a lack of daily care at home. One study showed that over 65% of people dealing with poor mental health did not seek dental care.

While not brushing your teeth twice a day and skipping flossing and dental check-up won’t directly lead to depression, it certainly doesn’t help.

“It’s one piece of a much bigger puzzle, so the better way to think about it is this: The same people who consistently prioritize sleep, exercise, nutrition, medical care and oral health tend to be supporting both their physical and mental well-being,” Auerbach said.

A vicious cycle

Depression is marked by lack of motivation, fatigue and feelings of worthlessness, which make it hard for people to keep up good habits.

Hygiene routines — including showering to changing clothes to cleaning teeth — are among the first things to suffer.

Unfortunately, skipping brushing and flossing can lead to secondary effects like pain, self-consciousness and isolation, which only make matters worse.

“I’ve seen it countless times. Someone becomes depressed. Self-care starts to slip… Maybe they develop bad breath or become self-conscious about their smile,” Auerbach said. “Now, they’re not only struggling emotionally, they’re struggling physically and socially as well.”

It creates a vicious cycle in which decay and tooth loss can reduce quality of life, make mental health even worse, and make it harder to seek care and improve health overall.

“When people feel good about their oral health, they tend to engage more confidently in life,” Auerbach said. 

The most important dental care habits to keep up

Auerbach stressed the need to brush twice a day, floss once a day, see your dentist regularly, stay hydrated and abstain from smoking.

“Don’t overcomplicate it,” he added. “If everyone did those five things consistently, we’d eliminate a tremendous amount of dental disease. The basics aren’t sexy, they’re basic, but they’re incredibly powerful.”

And for people with depression who are struggling to keep up with dental care, don’t make being perfect an enemy of the good.

“If brushing for two minutes feels impossible, brush for thirty seconds. If flossing your entire mouth feels overwhelming, floss a few teeth. If you miss a day, don’t turn it into a week,” Auerbach said.

“I think people underestimate how important small wins are when they’re struggling. Some days brushing your teeth is just about proving to yourself that you can still take care of yourself. That’s a meaningful victory.”