If you find yourself clenching your jaw throughout the day, or if you wake up with sensitive teeth, a sore jaw, or a headache, you might suffer from bruxism. It is the grinding, clenching, or gnashing of the teeth.
This teeth-grinding and jaw-clenching habit is a common condition that affects up to one-third of adults in the daytime and more than 1 in 10 in their sleep.
Many of us grind our teeth unintentionally, which generally isn’t harmful. But if it occurs regularly, tooth damage and other oral health complications may arise. Chronic tooth grinding has the potential to result in the fracture or loss of teeth. It may also wear teeth down and cause oral pain. If you're experiencing discomfort as a result of this condition, do visit our doctors.
We at Muskaan Dentals can look into the severity of any damage caused by bruxing.
Signs and Symptoms of Teeth Grinding:
Since teeth grinding usually happens throughout sleep, many people are unaware that they grind their teeth. So, it's vital to understand the signs and symptoms to look out for.
- Consistent headaches and sleep disturbances.
- Flattened, fractured, chipped, or loose teeth.
- Exposed enamel and sensitivity.
- Soreness in the neck, jaw, or face.
- Tooth indentations on the tongue.
- Stiffness in the face and temples in the morning.
Common Reasons for Teeth Grinding:
- Abnormal bites and missing or crooked teeth can result in grinding. Teeth grinding can also be triggered by spasms of muscles around the jaw. Kids with misaligned teeth are more likely to grind their teeth.
- Anxiety and stress can cause you to clench your jaw and work it back and forth. Emotional distress can also cause some people to grind their teeth.
- Teeth grinding will likely be caused by medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and sleep apnea. The condition may also arise as an impact of medications like antidepressants.
Our Diagnosis:
If you got any of the signs or symptoms mentioned above, schedule an appointment with us. Our doctors can monitor your oral health and can devise plans and dental treatment options for you.
- Mouth guards, made up of soft materials, are devices that are designed to keep the teeth separated from one another to avoid the harm caused by grinding and clenching.
- In cases with extreme tooth wear, our doctors might prefer to reshape the tooth and use crowns to repair it.
- If stress is causing you to grind your teeth, ask the doctor about the options or choices that may help to cut back on your stress levels.
Teeth grinding can be caused by a variety of factors as well, such as age, stress, anxiety, and other issues. However, it can be cured with the intervention of our dentist. For more information, visit us for an appointment.