Since reopening in early June, Tammy Chen, DDS, has seen at least one patient with a tooth fracture every day, according to a New York Times article penned by the dentist.
The prosthodontist and owner of New York City-based Central Park Dental Aesthetics said she has treated more tooth fractures in the last six weeks than in the previous six years. On average, Dr. Chen is seeing three to four patients with tooth fractures each day.
The tooth trauma surge may be a result of three factors, Dr. Chen wrote. One explanation is pandemic-related anxiety, which can lead to clenching and grinding and damage teeth. Poor posture prompted from working from home can translate into a grinding problem at night. Lastly, not getting restorative sleep, with the body in a constant battle-ready state of arousal, can send tension straight to the teeth, according to Dr. Chen.