Dental to Mental Health: With the lockdown extending and people locked indoors for months, the WHO ( World Health Organisation) predicts that mental health problems and depression is going to be the next pandemic! It’s scary but also a wake-up call for us all to do something about it! And the only person that can drag you out of mental illness or depression is you yourself; but for that one has to be absolutely committed to taking positive actions and being determined to defeat the monster of depression through activities, food, meditation, etc. Once the activities and positive energy sets in one can easily regain one’s focus, drive, energy, and care for self and others.
A) Isolation and loneliness fuel depression. Human beings are social creatures. Being cut off from the love, support, and close contact of family and friends can trigger depression.
B) Anxiety and Stress can lead to depression. All the fear and uncertainty around the Covid-19 situation can also cause depression.
C)Depression is an emotionally draining journey that many will go through in their lifetime, but depression does not have to rule your life there is plenty of help available as it is curable.
Answers and treatments will vary from person to person what works for one person may not work for another.
Allowing the state of depression to control you and be the norm will negatively affect you and others. Depression drags you down to depths where you feel you don’t have the energy to accomplish anything or even beat depression itself, a vicious cycle.
Depression appears to cause many physical illnesses that can be overcome with treatment. It’s time now, for us all to understand and defeat depression, especially in elderly people who are locked in their homes at this time.
Being able to feel normal and handle your life is a basic human right.. “Depression slowly erodes your will and breaks down any attempt at your happiness for a normal life”, says the WHO advisory!
Without proper mental health, the body begins to disintegrate including dental health.
Many times we just are not motivated enough to go to work or even scared, we drag ourselves out of bed, and into the bathroom. We cannot even decide on simple things like not deciding whether to shave or shower first, and keep staring blankly at the wall…well that is the time we need to understand that we are depressed.
Typical thoughts that run through the head of a depressed person every morning are
- Will I ever get over this feeling?
- Will I ever be happy?
- Why do I feel like this all the time? Maybe this is normal and I will eventually get over it.
- What do I do now?
The most important thing to do is to understand that depression is just a disease like diabetes or cold and flu and needs to be treated, monitored, and routinely checked.
Dental to mental health: The first few steps are:
- Believing that you are depressed and the second step is to know that it is curable!
Finally, I want all of you to know that depressed people are highly intelligent, loving, and sensitive people that have a lot to contribute to the world, but they need to realize that they are depressed, admit it, and find a solution.
Some useful tips:
Make time for relaxation. Choose a regular time each day for yoga or meditation practice.
Get plenty of sleep. Excessive worry and uncertainty can disturb your sleep-just as a lack of quality sleep can fuel anxiety and stress. Improving your daytime habits and taking time to relax and unwind before bed can help you to sleep better.
Eat a healthy diet. Eating fruits and veggies can help maintain your energy levels and prevent mood swings.
Avoid sugary and processed foods and try to add more omega-3 fats-from salmon, walnuts, soybeans, and flaxseeds—to give your overall mood a boost and also get good teeth in the process!
For dental problems contact your nearest Partha dental clinic, the best dentist in town!
Keep smiling and be happy!
How can I manage my mental health and dental health?
Because mental health and dental health are interconnected, things you do to manage one also benefit the other. Luckily, you can make small changes to your day-to-day life that can have a lasting impact.
Eat a healthy diet
Consuming nutritious food — in other words, a diet high in fruits, veggies, and other vitamin-packed items — is always a good idea. “What you eat impacts greatly both your mood and your oral health,” says Dr. Albers. “Be sure to eat a large variety of nutritious foods as well. This is going to boost your mood and protect your teeth and gums.”
