Bruxism
Portland, OR
 Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a common condition that impacts people around the world. One of the main concerns regarding this condition is that most people don’t even know that they suffer from it.
What is Bruxism?
There are a lot of people out there who clench and grind their teeth occasionally. This condition is known as bruxism. Whether it’s due to nervousness, anxiety, or any other reason, there’s no harm in grinding your teeth on occasion. However, grinding your teeth on a regular basis can cause some serious damage and complications regarding your oral health.
Why Do People Grind Their Teeth?
A large number of people grind their teeth mainly due to stress and anxiety. It is important to note that in many cases, this is a natural reaction of your body to nervousness or tense situations. However, what most people aren’t aware of is that bruxism usually occurs while sleeping at night. This condition is caused mainly due to missing or crooked teeth or any abnormal bite. Also, in many cases, bruxism also occurs as a result of a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.
How Can You Find Out if You Have Bruxism?
Since bruxism or teeth grinding usually occurs when sleeping, a huge number of individuals are typically unaware that they grind their teeth at night. However, if you wake up with a dull headache or a sore jaw, you probably have bruxism. Many times, patients learn about their condition from their loved ones who hear the constant grinding of their teeth at night. In any case, you should consider talking to your dentist if you suspect you’re grinding your teeth. They will thoroughly examine your jaw and mouth for indicators of bruxism, such as excessive teeth wearing or jaw tenderness.
Effects of Bruxism
In certain cases, chronic bruxism can cause your teeth to fracture or loosen, which eventually leads to loss of teeth. Chronic teeth grinding may also wear your teeth down. In such cases, you will need to opt for tooth replacements, such as crowns, bridges, implants, root canals, partial dentures, and maybe even complete dentures.
Additionally, not only can chronic teeth grinding impact your teeth and lead to tooth loss, but it can also affect your jaw and cause temporomandibular disorder (TMD) or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
Remedies for Bruxism
Since bruxism is a natural response of your body to stress, there’s not much you can naturally do to stop it completely. However, if you’re grinding your teeth due to stress, you can ask your doctor or dentist for options to reduce it. Stress counseling, therapy, and muscle relaxants are a few good ways to reduce teeth grinding that occurs due to stress.
The best option that helps with bruxism while you sleep is none other than a night guard. Night guards help keep your teeth grinding under control, preventing any dental or oral conditions that may otherwise arise.
If you suspect you might have bruxism, you should get it checked immediately. You can book an appointment at our clinic Portland City Dental by calling us at (503) 256-7917. |
