"Dental Health for Mental Wealth": A Comprehensive Analysis of the Underexplored Impact of Oral Health and Behaviors on Neurobiology and Psychological Well-Being

This thesis explores the link between oral health and psychological state, specifically, the effect of oral health on psychological state and how appropriate oral health impacts this relationship. A review of the literature was conducted and studies interpreted within the scope of oral health’s impact on psychological health and detailing some of the pathways proposed for such a link. The literature search was limited to the English language from well-known databases mainly from 2015 to 2025. A few outliers are present to include foundational information. The effects of oral disease and oral self-care behaviors were dissected through a biochemical perspective, on inflammation, immune responses, oxidative stress, stress response, cortisol effects, and bacteremia, and furthered using psychological measures relating to emotion, behavior, cognition, social fluency, will, and resiliency. A deep-dive into the existing, usually separate, disciplines of research were evaluated together in detailing the drawn connections. Some subjective viewpoints contained in this narrative evidence synthesis result from my academic and employment backgrounds as a Psychological Sciences Alumna and an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. The evidence presented shows that behavioral practice of good oral hygiene should be consistent with psychological models of well-being while mitigating the many negative effects of poor oral health care - directly within the mouth and beyond. This could potentially extend to many constructs of life, demonstrating the need for and calling-to-action future research combining psychology relating to well-being with the field of dentistry. More holistic and effective care of an individual may arise from continued study into the dental to mental health connection as it unfolds.