A silent byproduct of the pandemic: Stress is causing a spike in chipped and cracked teeth

When stress builds for Terri Hart-Ellis, she subconsciously clenches her teeth like an angry cartoon character.

“My jaws tighten. I bite down really hard and my eyebrows flare,” Hart-Ellis said. “Most of the time, I’m not even aware of it.”

But all that biting and clenching has taken a toll: She chipped a molar in May, and last month pulled off a crown.