Maintaining optimal oral health is about so much more than simply brushing and flossing as recommended by your dentist. While these are obviously essential steps in your oral hygiene routine, there are a wide variety of other factors that can affect your oral health over time. Today our Glendale dentists are discussing one of these factors: chronic bruxism.
Bruxism is a condition characterized by chronic dental grinding and clenching. Some people start exhibiting bruxism because they are experiencing anxiety; when you’re stressed you’re more likely to grind your teeth, especially in the night. Another cause of bruxism is a poorly aligned or uneven bite. When your top and bottom teeth do not come together naturally and evenly, your teeth will shift back and forth in order to find a comfortable “resting” position.
Unfortunately, untreated bruxism can put you at risk of suffering from a number of additional oral health issues.
· Chronic dental grinding weakens and thins your enamel over time. This leaves your teeth more susceptible to fracture as well as infection.
· Bruxism puts an incredible amount of stress and pressure on your temporomandibular joints. As you would expect, people who suffer from bruxism are more prone to dealing with TMJ dysfunction.
· You may find that you are experiencing headaches as well as neck/jaw/shoulder pain caused by bruxism.
If you think that you are regularly grinding your teeth, talk to your dental team about treatment solutions that can minimize unwanted symptoms and address the underlying cause of bruxism. Some people find relief by wearing a customized mouth guard at night. If your bruxism problems are caused by a poorly aligned bite, then you may benefit from orthodontic treatment that refines the way your teeth come together.
Our Glendale dentists can give you any more information you need about bruxism and bruxism treatments. So, give us a call to schedule a personal consultation!