The Mind-Body Connection You’re Ignoring: Mental and Dental Health

Dental and Mental health may seem completely different, but it turns out they have a deep connection and ignoring one could put the other at risk. Research has demonstrated that poor mental health can contribute to deteriorating oral health, while dental issues can worsen mental health conditions. Individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders often struggle with keeping up with their daily oral hygiene. Feelings of lack of motivation or heightened stress can lead to neglecting essential dental care routines, which then increases the risk of cavities, gum disease, and many other complications. And surprisingly, many psychiatric medications contribute to dry mouth, which accelerates tooth decay and oral infections. On the other hand, the consequences of poor oral health itself can be psychologically damaging. Dental pain or visible dental issues can lower people's self-esteem or exacerbate conditions like depression and anxiety.   

https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/how-dental-health-and-mental-health-are-connected

Addressing this issue requires a more integrated approach to healthcare. Dental and mental health professionals need more collaboration between each other so they can improve both treatment outcomes and preventative care. People experiencing difficulties in either area should seek professional support as intervention in one area can significantly benefit the other. 

Here are some affordable options for the Portland area:

Mental Health:

Multnomah County Behavioral Health Call Center:

503-988-4888 

Offers free behavioral health support, language interpretation, referral to low cost agencies, help finding health support, etc.  

William Temple House:

https://www.williamtemple.org/our-services/counseling/

Offers affordable counseling services to individuals, couples and families, they help clients achieve their therapeutic goals.

Portland Therapy Center:

 https://www.portlandtherapycenter.com/sliding-scale-affordable-therapy-50-and-under

Offers a directory of therapists in Portland who provide sliding scale services under $50.

Dental Health:

Portland Community College Dental Clinic:

https://www.pcc.edu/dental-clinic/

Provides free preventive and restorative dental care. Licensed professionals supervise the student clinics, ensuring high-quality services. 

OHSU Dental Clinics:

https://www.ohsu.edu/dental-clinics/costs-and-insurance

Offers comprehensive dental services at reduced rates, 30% to 40% lower than private practices, making it a viable option for uninsured patients. 

Gateway Grace Dental Clinic:

https://www.pacsonline.org/dental

This clinic also offers comprehensive dental care to adults earning up to 300% of the federal poverty line and is run by Portland Adventist Community Services. 

We Need to Take Care of our Homeless Population's Mental Health

Most of us write off homeless people as being one or more of the many traits depicted above. When we see homeless people in their tents, or out in the road begging for money, I think it’s fair to say most of us assume (or hope) that we wouldn’t end up in that situation. The reality is, it’s much easier than you’d think. The problem with homelessness is that it’s not easy to pull oneself out of. For just a moment, close your eyes and think about what it would be like to not have a home. You don’t have a shower, so your skin and hair are constantly dirty and exposed to germs. There’s no laundry, there’s no personal hygiene. There’s no scrolling on social media (for the most part). No nights out, no dating, no binging TV shows. No heat in the winter. No way to brush your teeth. No way to know where your next meal will come from. If you started off homeless without a mental illness, it’s almost a guarantee you will develop one.

This is why the need for community mental health is so needed. Oregon doesn’t have it perfect, there are many flaws in the system and room for improvement – but let’s focus on the positives. I urge you all to become familiar with the resources available for community mental health in your county. Not only can this help any homeless people that you feel the urge to help, but can assist you or a loved one in the future. The only way to improve community mental health services is to be aware of the systems in place, analyze how they are broken, and taking action from there.

I encourage all of you to refer to the website for whichever county you live in, and become familiar with the services. Look at volunteer opportunities for the Crisis Line in your county! 

For Washington County, Oregon:

https://www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/MentalHealth/GettingHelp/crisis-services.cfm

For Multnomah County, Oregon:

https://multco.us/em/mental-health-services

For Clackamas County, Oregon:

https://www.clackamas.us/behavioralhealth/services.html