What is bruxing? Bruxing is the chronic grinding and clenching of your back teeth. It often happens while you are sleeping so you don’t even know you are doing it, unless someone brings it to your attention. However, it can also happen during the day. It may happen when you are angry, anxious, or in deep concentration, so again you don’t notice it. If you pay attention, you may become aware that you are bruxing. The grinding and clenching of your teeth can cause serious damage. Read on to find out more about the bad, bad habit of bruxing.
Do You Brux?
If you’re wondering whether you brux, answer the following questions:
- Do you wake up with morning headaches?
- Do your teeth ache?
- Do you suffer from jaw pain?
- Do you have chronic neck pain?
- Have your teeth become worn, shorter, and/or chipped?
- Do one or both of your ears feel perpetually plugged?
- Do you have ringing in your ears?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions you may very well be a bruxer. In fact, an estimated 5 to 20 percent of Americans brux, yet only 80 percent are aware of it.
Prevention
There are ways to try to prevent bruxing from causing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), broken teeth, or any of the above symptoms. The first thing to do is to bring it to the attention of your dentist. Dr. Mai treats teeth grinding with an occlusal splint or customized mouth guard to:
- Restrict the grinding pattern
- Protect your teeth from wear and/or other damage
- To lessen muscle strain to avoid damage to your jaw joints (TMJ)
ABOUT YOUR GARLAND DENTIST:
Dr. Vi Mai and the caring staff at Mai Dentistry are dedicated to ensuring that our patients are proud of their beautiful, healthy smiles. With years of experience in general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, we can expertly diagnose and treat early dental trouble to preserve your natural tooth structure. To learn more, or to schedule your next appointment, call us today at (972) 530-0552.
