Reality Bites
According to the NYT, dentists are finding the unexpected when performing cavity searches; namely an epidemic of cracked teeth. Tammy Chen says she’s “seen more tooth fractures in the last six weeks than in the previous six years.” What happening? “One obvious answer is stress. From Covid-induced nightmares to ‘doomsurfing’ to ‘coronaphobia,’ it’s no secret that pandemic-related anxiety is affecting our collective mental health. That stress, in turn, leads to clenching and grinding, which can damage the teeth.” 2020 is so messed up it has even ruined grinding and clenching. (I guess I’m one of the lucky ones. My 2020 night screams tend to keep my mouth mostly ajar.)
+ WaPo: During pandemic, growth of U.S. adults with mental health issues jumps to 53 percent.