"One of the best dental groups in the DMV!" — Mark N.

Dental Care: Why are you grinding your teeth?

Stress can adversely affect many parts of our body.  They can cause headaches, rashes, stomach pains, and even hair loss.  This can be a reaction to the stress we are experiencing in our lives. 

Our teeth, of course, are not excluded from the damage that stress can wreak on our health. We have seen many patients who have had serious dental problems that were traced to the stress in their lives. The Covid pandemic certainly contributed to that. 

Typically, many patients have bruxism or grind their teeth during the morning and night.  Most of the time they are not aware that they are doing it. Consistent teeth grinding can cause serious damage to teeth and gums along with other health issues. Bruxism is a medical condition where an individual slides their teeth back and forth in a grinding motion. This can be done while they are asleep or awake. Most people with bruxism don’t even realize that they are doing it. Thus, it isn’t treated and continues to cause damage. Most people can grind their teeth even harder when they are sleeping. 

Most people with bruxism experience the following symptoms: 

  • worn tooth enamel 
  • fractured, chipped, loose or broken teeth 
  • heightened tooth pain or sensitivity 
  • sleep disruption 
  • muscle tenderness 
  • earaches 
  • loose or broken fillings 
  • headaches 
  • sore jaw, neck, or face 
  • disruption of partner’s sleep 
  • Muscle tenderness 

Unfortunately, bruxism also triggers other health issues such as: 

  • permanent damage to oral health including teeth, jaw, and crowns
  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders 
  • changes in facial appearance 
  • insomnia 
  • depression

Bruxism is typically linked to stress, anxiety, and mood issues. Causes of stress may include: 

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • family issues
  • sleep deficiency
  • social exclusion
  • employment issues
  • financial problems

These stressors may lead the individual to adopt poor diets that are high in acid or sugar. They may also begin smoking, abusing alcohol, or taking drugs. Their sleep may be disrupted so badly that relationships and employment are adversely affected. It’s a dangerous health problem that may eventually get out of control, affecting the entire body.  Sleep apnea can be a by-product of bruxism and can lead to constant fatigue and severe medical problems.

For the most part, bruxism is easily treated.  Depending on how your occlusion or bite is, nightguards are an effective non-invasive treatment for bruxism. Nightguards prevent the wear and damage that teeth-grinding causes over time. We custom make them, and they can be hard or soft based on your preference or wear pattern. A nightguard is inserted over your top or bottom arch and prevents contact with the opposing teeth.  If the occlusion or bite is responsible for the bruxism, then orthodontic treatment or Invisalign treatment may be necessary before the nightguard can be fabricated. 

If you are grinding your teeth and experiencing the symptoms above, please see your dentist. This needs to be treated immediately. There is hope! 

All Smiles Bethesda can treat your bruxism (teeth grinding) and get you back on the road to good health. Our dentists and dental hygienists can take care of your teeth and answer any of your questions. We would like to help you maintain your teeth and treat dental issues at their beginning stages versus their advanced stages. If you would like to schedule an appointment for you or your family, please call us at 301-984-9646 or info@allsmilesbethesda.com or lorraine@allsmilesbethesda.com

We serve the Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, and the Washington, DC area.

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