Are you finding yourself clenching your jaw throughout the day, or are waking up with sensitive teeth or a sore jaw? Then you might be suffering from bruxism. This jaw clenching or teeth grinding is a common condition affecting one-third of adults in their daytime and more than 1 to 10 people in their sleep. Some people may also develop bruxism as a result of stress or anxiety and the habit can last through life’s calmer periods. Besides, people who grind their teeth cause damage to their teeth and surrounding soft tissues. While there is no cure to completely stop teeth grinding you can decrease its frequency by talking to your doctor or oral surgeon. Further, read on to know more about teeth grinding solutions Donvale.
What is teeth grinding?
Teeth grinding or bruxism is an unconscious clenching/gnashing or grinding of one’s teeth. This can happen while a person is asleep or while they are awake. However, the mild teeth grinding won’t cause any damage often frequent and severe teeth grinding can lead to jaw disorders, headaches or fractured teeth, and other major troubles.
Reasons for teeth grinding
Stress and anxiety
People who are stressed, nervous, or anxious may tend to grind or clench their teeth as a coping mechanism.
Sleep disorders
Disorders like snoring, sleep apnea, and sleep talking are some of the major causes of teeth grinding.
Misaligned teeth
People with misaligned teeth may grind more often than those with a straight tooth. If the mouth cannot close easily or is not closed while napping, it can cause a person to grind their teeth in an attempt to be more comfortable.
Coffee consumption
People who drink more than eight cups of coffee a day are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from teeth grinding.
Personality
People who are naturally aggressive or competitive also may grind their teeth more often.
Family connection
You know bruxism happens throughout a family history. If a child exhibits bruxism there’s a good chance that their parents also exhibit bruxism.
Other disorders
Other than sleep disorders there are few other conditions like Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and dementia which can heighten the risk of bruxism.
Symptoms of teeth grinding
Most people grind and clench their teeth both while sleeping and while awake. Teeth grinding is an unconscious shrinkage of the jaw muscles. Thus, most people are unaware of it until they experience painful effects.
- Pain in the jaw or face
- Stiff neck or shoulders
- Earache
- Dull headache near the temples
- Tired, tight, or locked jaw
- Tooth and gum pain or sensitivity
- Disrupted sleep
- Worn down tooth enamel
- Waking up partner with the sound of teeth grinding
- Flattened, chipped, or fractured teeth
- Sores/infections from chewing on the inside of the cheek
Different teeth grinding solutions Donvale
- Firstly, adjust your sleeping position or pillow for additional head and neck support
- Try to avoid hard foods like popcorn, nuts and variant types of hard candies
- Use a hot compress or an ice pack to soothe the pain
- Be judicious with peanut butter and other sticky foods that are difficult to chew
- Don’t chew gum
Splints and mouth guards
In some cases, your doctor may suggest using mouth guards which are specially designed to keep teeth separated to stop the damage caused by grinding or clenching. They are usually made of hard or soft acrylic materials to fit over your upper or lower teeth.
Receiving therapy
This can also provide healthy coping mechanisms for anxiety and stress and equally will help curb teeth grinding during the day.
Closing up
You must visit your dentist or oral surgeon in case of tooth damage or severe tooth grinding to uncover the causes before seeking treatment. You can visit us at Holistic Dental Donvale Teeth grinding solutions Donvale. We offer all kinds of dental solutions to prevent your oral symptoms from worsening.