Teeth grinding or bruxism is referred to as a habit of rubbing of teeth against each other while sleeping or awake. People grind their teeth because of stress or anxiety. And, this habit leads to dental complications like abnormal bite, missing tooth or crooked teeth. Also, people who suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea due to this rubbing action, their teeth undergo wear and tear and causes pain in the facial bones. Prolonged teeth grinding can result in decreasing length or breaking of teeth. In this article, we will be concentrating on the short and long-term issues associated with teeth grinding and ways to prevent it.

Short Term Issues Of Teeth Grinding

Short Term Issues Of Teeth Grinding are many times ignored by people. These issues then are left untreated for a long time, which, in turn, leads to long-term issues associated with teeth grinding. Some of the short-term issues of teeth grinding are mentioned below:

  • Pain in the facial bones
  • Ear and headache
  • Swollen or receding gums
  • Sleep disruption
  • Increased tooth mobility
  • Restricted jaw movements

Long-Term Issues Of Teeth Grinding

Your teeth are composed of a hard outer layer called tooth enamel. The tooth enamel covers the dentin, which protects the nerves of your tooth. Long-Term Issues Of Teeth Grinding can erode both the enamel and dentin, thereby exposing the roots of your tooth. As a result, people experience sensitivity. Other long-term problems associated with teeth grinding are:

  • A severe headache or a migraine
  • Tight muscles near the jaw
  • The clicking of jaw joints
  • Tooth loss or tooth wear

Treatment Of Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding can be treated by different approaches such as mouth guards, medication, and therapy.

Mouthguards – Mouthguards or night guards are designed to protect teeth from grinding and clenching. This, in turn, prevents tooth enamel erosion. Wearing a mouthguard or nightguard, while sleeping prevents damage caused due to clenching and grinding.  

Mouth guards are not only effective during the night time. If you have found yourself clenching or grinding your teeth in daytime also, you can opt for a thin daytime mouth guard. It does not affect your speech and successfully protects your teeth from grinding and its effects.

Mouth guards are made up of hard acrylic or soft rubber material for protecting the upper and lower teeth. You can choose between mouth guard depending upon the severity of teeth grinding. If you clench your teeth and not grind, then a soft rubber mouth guard is the best choice for you. But, if the severity of grinding your teeth is high, then you need a hard acrylic mouth guard.

Medication – Your dentist may also recommend you some medication to treat bruxism. Muscle relaxants before bedtime, botox injections, and medication for stress and anxiety are some of the ways to treat teeth grinding.

Therapy – You may also be recommend to take some sessions of massage therapy or practice yoga to reduce mental stress. Regular massage sessions will minimize sleep disruptions, and you will be able to sleep peacefully.

For more information on teeth grinding and its treatment, feel free to get in touch with us at Edmonton Smiles.

Posted in Clinical Advice and Oral Health Tips