Does your significant other often complain about your teeth grinding? Do you suffer from unexplained headaches and jaw pain? This could all be related to bruxism, a serious oral health issue that could threaten the health of your smile. In today’s blog, your Garland, TX, dentist talks about what you can do to stop grinding your teeth!
The Causes of Bruxism
Why do we start grinding our teeth nightly? A number of factors could lead to this disorder, including tooth loss, dental misalignment, bite imbalance, high levels of daily stress, and injury to the face or jaw. Untreated TMJ disorder, which occurs when the jaw joints are under immense pressure, could also lead to bruxism. When we examine your smile, we will look for signs of wear and friction, and other possible signs of teeth grinding. From there, we can assess the cause and severity, offering the most appropriate treatment option!
Don’t Damage Your Smile!
If you begin to experience persistent headaches or migraines, pain in your jaw or face, or tooth sensitivity and toothaches, then let us know. Unless treated, teeth grinding could wear down tooth structure, removing protective enamel and even cracking or chipping the tooth. This damage actually exposes sensitive inner structure to harmful bacteria, allowing a cavity to form and unless treated, an infection to arise that threatens the tooth’s stability. Don’t let your smile become damaged, let us know if you experience these common warning signs.
Oral Appliance Therapy and Other Options
The most common solution is an oral appliance. After we take detailed impressions and measurements of your smile, we use the information gathered to design and create a device that looks much like a mouthguard. The device is worn at night as you sleep, and helps reposition the jaw to ease strain and present bruxism. The oral appliance also places a barrier between your upper and lower sets of teeth, which helps prevent further damage to your smile during grinding or clenching episodes. Other options could include orthodontics to correct misalignment, or a restoration to help improve bite balance. We also suggest cutting back on hard or chewy foods, as well as caffeinated products. A warm compress or washcloth against the side of the face could also help ease painful strain. If you have any questions about identifying and treating teeth grinding, then please contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TREATING TEETH GRINDING?
We can help you avoid the damage and discomfort of grinding and clenching with oral appliances. To learn more about our preventive treatment options, then schedule a consultation by calling Mai Dentistry in Garland, TX, today at 972-530-0552. For our patients who don’t speak English, our office is fluent in both Spanish and Vietnamese.
