A Basic Take on Tooth Grinding

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Did you know that bruxism is the medical term for a condition of teeth grinding? Bruxism is an unconscious act that often happens during sleep, leaving the patient unaware that it’s happening. Risk factors of bruxism can be circumstances such as alcohol and tobacco use, a bad bite, stress and sleep apnea. We have provided a review of the nature of bruxism to benefit your smile’s health.

Detecting bruxism without the help of a professional can be difficult, but you can determine with the help of a spouse, sibling or roommate whether you are experiencing signs of teeth grinding when you are asleep. Additionally, you may notice symptoms such as tooth sensitivity, a sore jaw, fractured or loose teeth and daily dull headaches or facial pain.

Following a diagnosis of bruxism, our dentists and team can provide a variety of treatment options. For example, our dentists may recommend that you wear a custom-made night guard that protects against grinding during sleep. We may also provide a muscle relaxant prescription for bedtime use. If stress is a risk factor for your bruxism, you may find that calming practices such as mediation and daily exercise or speaking with a counselor reduce tension in your jaw.

Children are the most common demographic for bruxism, and the causes of bruxism that affect children often have to do with irritations in the mouth, allergies and teeth that are misaligned. Fortunately, the risk of tooth damage resulting from grinding is much lower for children because they have developing jaws and teeth, and most children naturally stop having bruxism by the time they reach their teenage years.

If you would like to further discuss the nature of bruxism in Battle Creek, Michigan, please feel free to schedule an appointment with Dr. L.C. Chilimigras by contacting Lakeview Dental Care at 269-964-7660 today.