Oral Health›Health conditions and your mouth

Mental Health and Your Oral Health

Depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions can make it harder to look after your teeth, and some medicines dry the mouth. Small steps help, and your dental team can support you.

Updated September 2026·By the OHA editorial team·8 min read·How we write
Key takeaways
  • Mental health and oral health are linked. When you feel low or overwhelmed, brushing and dental visits can slip, and that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
  • Some medicines for mental health conditions can cause a dry mouth, which raises the risk of decay. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own: talk to your doctor.
  • Small steps count: brushing with fluoride toothpaste last thing at night and once more in the day, cutting down on sugar, and sipping water.
  • Telling your dentist about your mental health and your medicines helps them care for you safely.
  • If you are struggling, help is available. In a crisis, call 999 (UK), 000 (Australia) or 911 (US).

If looking after your teeth has been hard because you have been struggling, you are not alone. The Oral Health Foundation says there is a close connection between the health of the body and the mind, and that people who experience mental illness also tend to have poorer oral health. This guide explains why, without blame, and sets out small steps that help.

How can mental health affect your teeth and gums?

The Oral Health Foundation lists conditions including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis.

  • Self-care can slip. The Oral Health Foundation says that when we feel down or overwhelmed, it is common for self-care, including cleaning our teeth, to take a back seat, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. The American Psychiatric Association says people with mental illness, particularly serious mental illness, may find it hard to keep up a daily routine and to get dental treatment.
  • Avoiding the dentist. The Better Health Channel (Victoria) says conditions such as generalised anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder can increase the risk of dental anxiety, and that depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia may too. See dental anxiety.
  • Diet. The American Psychiatric Association says symptoms of mental illness can lead to poor nutrition, which in turn affects dental health.
  • Smoking. The Oral Health Foundation says twice as many people with mental health issues smoke, and that smoking can lead to gum disease, tooth loss and mouth cancer. See smoking, vaping and oral health.
  • Grinding. The NHS says teeth grinding (bruxism) is often linked to stress or anxiety, and the Oral Health Foundation links it to low mood too. See teeth grinding.
  • Eating disorders. The Oral Health Foundation says people with bulimia often have dental erosion (acid wearing away the enamel) from vomiting. See acid reflux, vomiting and your teeth.

It works both ways. The American Psychiatric Association says poor oral health can affect eating, speech and self-esteem and lead people to see others less, and that long-lasting mouth pain can add to poor mental health.

Severe mental illness

NICE (the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) says people with complex psychosis (severe, hard-to-treat psychotic illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) are more likely to have dental problems and poor oral health, and that the physical health check when they start rehabilitation should include a look at their dental health. The US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) says severe mental illness can make dental care harder to get, and that in the US, people experiencing or being treated for mental illness are 80% more likely to have an acute (urgent) dental need.

Medicines and your mouth

  • Dry mouth. The NHS lists a dry mouth among the common side effects of antidepressants. The Better Health Channel says antidepressants can cause a dry mouth and raise the risk of tooth decay, because saliva protects teeth.
  • Grinding. The Australian Dental Association lists some antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs) and antipsychotics among the drugs linked with teeth grinding.

The Oral Health Foundation suggests talking to your dentist, doctor or pharmacist about any mouth problems from your medicines. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine yourself. The NHS says not to stop an antidepressant suddenly or without talking to your doctor first. For more, see medicines that affect your mouth and dry mouth.

Small steps that help

The Oral Health Foundation's three key messages are:

  1. Brush last thing at night and at one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste.
  2. Cut down on how much sugary food and drink you have, and how often.
  3. Visit the dentist as often as they recommend.
  • On hard days, the Oral Health Foundation says chewing sugar-free gum can help fight decay when you do not have the motivation to brush. It is not a replacement for brushing, but it can tide you over.
  • If your mouth feels dry, the NHS suggests regular sips of cold water, sugar-free gum, and an alcohol-free mouthwash, and advises against lots of alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks. A pharmacist can suggest gels or sprays.
  • Set realistic goals. Writing about quitting smoking, the Oral Health Foundation encourages achievable goals and celebrating small victories: "progress is progress."

If you care for someone, the Oral Health Foundation says you can help by supporting a positive daily routine and helping them feel more comfortable about dental care. See caring for someone else's teeth and how to brush your teeth.

Getting dental care and telling your dentist

The Oral Health Foundation encourages you to talk openly with your dentist about your mental health. The American Dental Association (ADA) says your dental team can treat you better if they know your needs, and suggests telling the receptionist when you book if you feel nervous.

It also matters for safety. The Better Health Channel says to tell your dentist about all the medicines you take. The NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service, which advises dental teams, says most medicines do not interact with dental anaesthetic in a way that matters, but for a few, including tricyclic antidepressants and some antipsychotics, it advises a lower dose of the adrenaline-containing anaesthetic as a precaution.

If fear keeps you away, the Better Health Channel says a psychologist or counsellor can help, and your dentist may work with your doctor. In England, the NHS says you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies for anxiety, depression and phobias without seeing a GP.

Where to get mental health support

  • UK: the NHS says a GP can advise on treatments and help you get mental health services. For urgent help, call 111 and choose the mental health option. Samaritans offers free, confidential listening on 116 123, and under-19s can call Childline on 0800 1111.
  • Australia: healthdirect lists Lifeline (13 11 14, or text 0477 13 11 14, 24 hours), Beyond Blue for depression and anxiety (1300 22 4636, 24 hours), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Medicare Mental Health (1800 595 212, weekdays) and 13YARN for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (13 92 76).
  • US: the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says to call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for 24-hour confidential support. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) runs a free, confidential, 24/7 National Helpline on 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for referrals to local mental health and substance use services.
When to see a dentist
  • You have not seen a dentist for a while and are worried about your teeth.
  • Your mouth feels dry most of the time, or you have more decay since starting a medicine.
  • You have toothache, bleeding gums, or teeth that are worn, sensitive or chipped.
  • You grind or clench your teeth, or your jaw aches in the morning.
Get help urgently
  • Mental health crisis, UK: the NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if someone's life is at risk, for example they have seriously hurt themselves or taken an overdose, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe. A mental health emergency is as serious as a physical one.
  • Australia: healthdirect says call triple zero (000) if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts and is in immediate danger.
  • US: NIMH says call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room in a life-threatening situation.
  • Facial swelling: the NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if you have a lot of swelling in your mouth, or find it hard to breathe, speak, swallow or open your mouth.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to stop brushing when I am depressed?

It is common. The Oral Health Foundation says self-care, including cleaning your teeth, often takes a back seat when you feel down or overwhelmed. Its advice is to brush last thing at night and at one other time in the day with fluoride toothpaste, and it says sugar-free gum can tide you over when motivation is low, though it does not replace brushing.

Do I have to tell my dentist about my mental health?

It is your choice, but it helps. The ADA says your dental team can treat you better if they know your needs, and some medicines affect dental treatment. In the UK, the General Dental Council says dental professionals must keep your information confidential and share it without your permission only in exceptional circumstances.

Will the dentist judge me for the state of my teeth?

The ADA says the right dental team will make sure both your dental and your emotional health are taken care of, and that the longer you delay, the higher the risk of problems that make future visits harder.

Sources

  1. Mental illness and oral health, Oral Health Foundation, accessed September 2026
  2. The surprising connection between low mood and oral health, Oral Health Foundation, accessed September 2026
  3. Understanding the link between mental health, smoking, and oral health, Oral Health Foundation, accessed September 2026
  4. How dental health and mental health are connected, American Psychiatric Association, accessed September 2026
  5. Rehabilitation for adults with complex psychosis (NG181), recommendations, NICE, accessed September 2026
  6. Section 5: Pain, mental illness, substance use, and oral health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed September 2026
  7. Dental anxiety and phobia, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  8. Teeth and medication, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  9. Teeth grinding, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
  10. Anxiety, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  11. Managing interactions with local anaesthetics in dentistry, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service, accessed September 2026
  12. Maintain and protect patients' information, General Dental Council, accessed September 2026
  13. Side effects of antidepressants, NHS, accessed September 2026
  14. Teeth grinding (bruxism), NHS, accessed September 2026
  15. Dry mouth, NHS, accessed September 2026
  16. Talking therapies, NHS, accessed September 2026
  17. Where to get urgent help for mental health, NHS, accessed September 2026
  18. Dental abscess, NHS, accessed September 2026
  19. Mental health helplines, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  20. Mental health crisis support, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  21. Help for mental illnesses, NIH National Institute of Mental Health, accessed September 2026
  22. SAMHSA's National Helpline, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

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