May is Mental Health Awareness Month – What Does that Mean for Oral Health?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a chance to recognize the importance of mental health and the impacts it can have on the whole body – including oral health. There is a growing body of research documenting the links between oral health and mental health and how they interact. This month, KOHC is highlighting this mind to mouth connection and why mental health matters in dentistry.  

Mental health can drive oral health outcomes in a number of ways. Those suffering from depression are more likely to report they do not brush their teeth twice per day – those with severe depression are twice as likely to report this compared to those without depression. More broadly, adults who reported poor mental health were more likely to have one or more unmet oral health needs and three times more likely to rate their oral health as poor. Additionally, those with poor mental health are more likely to be facing financial and emotional hardships, which can contribute to difficulty accessing needed care. 

Oral health is also closely tied to substance use disorder (SUD), as those with SUD often struggle with maintaining good oral health, in part due to the impact that substances have on the mouth. The use of opioids can lead to increased risk of oral cancer, as well as chronic dry mouth which can result in increased tooth decay. Treatment for oral pain can also contribute to SUD as emergency departments often prescribe opioids to address dental pain, and dental providers have been a top prescriber of opioids for pain relief in recent years.  

In order to provide care that acknowledges these connections, dental providers and mental health providers should address the overall needs of individuals through integrated care models. Developing integrated care settings can include training and education for providers, screening for conditions that impact oral health and mental health in each care setting, and forming care networks that allow for referrals between oral health and mental health providers or co-locating services. 

KOHC continues to advocate for a more integrated approach to dental care, including in medical and mental health settings. Integrating dental care can improve health outcomes and positively impact individuals’ mental health.