Bruxism, also referred to as teeth grinding, can seriously impact your oral health. It’s perfectly normal to clench your teeth every once in a while. However, if it is done too often, it can cause symptoms that stick around long term, even after you have stopped grinding your teeth.
What Are the Complications of Teeth Grinding?
Some of the most common complications are headaches and jaw soreness. However, there are other consequences of chronic teeth grinding.
For example, it is common for tooth enamel to become extremely worn, resulting in an increased risk of cavities at the deepest layers of your tooth.
People who suffer from teeth grinding also often damage the inside of their cheeks. Especially when teeth grinding occurs at night, cheek tissue pain and bleeding can occur.
Teeth grinding can also cause severe jaw pain that can wake you up repeatedly throughout the night and cause fatigue in the morning. Other potential complications include jaw muscle fatigue, earaches, neck pain, and extreme tooth sensitivity or pain caused by extreme temperatures.
What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Teeth Grinding?
A family history of teeth grinding can increase your risk. Anger, frustration, stress, and anxiety are all significant factors in developing teeth grinding.
Your risk is elevated if you consume certain substances, like antidepressants, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, or recreational drugs, if you have a competitive, hyperactive, or aggressive personality, or if you have disorders such as ADHD, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
What Should I Do If I Grind My Teeth?
Schedule an Appointment With a Dentist
If you suspect you suffer from chronic teeth grinding, you must schedule an appointment with a dentist. A dentist can diagnose your condition and its cause. With this information, an effective treatment plan can be put into place.
Regardless of the cause of your teeth grinding, a custom-designed mouth guard can help you protect your teeth at night. Other effective steps may include taking an oral muscle relaxant to relieve jaw muscle pain and tension and not drinking alcohol close to bedtime.
How to Prepare for Your Dental Appointment
Start preparing for your dental appointment by compiling a list of relevant medical history, like problems you’ve had with teeth grinding in the past or a diagnosed anxiety disorder. You should also compile a list of all of the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Make this list as detailed as possible; it is helpful to know when your symptoms occur, when they are exacerbated, and what, if anything, makes them better. You should also make a note of recent life changes or major stresses in your life.
Furthermore, write down every drug and supplement you take, including the dosage and when the pharmaceutical is taken. Certain medications may have side effects that cause or exacerbate the symptoms of teeth grinding.
Wear a Mouthguard at Night
If you suffer from teeth grinding, wearing a mouthguard at night is one of the best things you can do for your oral health. Teeth grinding can occur at any time, but it is very common for people to grind their teeth at night.
When teeth grinding occurs in your sleep, your tooth enamel can become worn down significantly, increasing your risk of developing cavities.
It is important to visit a dentist and have a mouthguard customized for your unique mouth shape to protect your enamel from night grinding.
Custom mouthguards are more comfortable and durable than mouthguards that can be purchased at the local pharmacy.
Work Out Regularly
Working out regularly is another important step to take if you suffer from teeth grinding. It’s often caused by stress, and exercise results in a release of tension. If you don’t usually exercise, slowly add sessions to your weekly routine. It is better to get in three 15-minute workout sessions per week than to not exercise at all.
Unwind Before Bed
You should also unwind before bed if you suffer from teeth grinding. The more jaw tension you release before you fall asleep, the less likely that tension is going to work its way out through grinding your teeth in your sleep.
One effective way to relax your jaw is to take a warm bath. Allow yourself to release any tension in your lower facial muscles, and try to relax your mind, too. You also may be able to relax your jaw muscles by:
- Using relaxing aromatherapy
- Drinking warm, herbal decaffeinated tea
- Applying a heating pad to your jaw
- Applying a warm, wet towel to your jaw
Give Yourself a Massage
If you suffer from teeth grinding, you can also benefit from massaging your tense jaw muscles when you feel stressed. If you go through a stressful situation, take a minute afterward to acknowledge the existence of any tense or anxious feelings, and rub the tension out of your jaw.
Pay More Attention to Your Jaw
It is also important to practice mindfulness multiple times daily if you suffer from teeth grinding. It’s common for people that suffer from grinding their teeth to not realize they’re doing it, even during the day.
To combat this, set reminders on your phone to pay check your jaw tension. Maybe you’ll find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth subconsciously. Maybe you won’t. As being conscious of your jaw becomes a habit you’ll be able to recognize jaw tension more often and relax.
If you notice that you are clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth, drop your lower jaw and allow it to hang for a bit. This provides an immediate benefit by stopping the teeth grinding in its tracks.
As an additional benefit, letting your jaw hang allows the muscles to relax, mitigating the risk of future pain or discomfort. To help keep your jaw relaxed, keep your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth and make a conscious effort to prevent your upper and lower teeth from touching.
Limit Chewy Foods & Stop Chewing Non-Food Items
Chewing on non-food items, like pen caps, pencils, and ice and chewy foods, such as gum, steak, and taffy keeps your jaw muscles tight for extended periods.
While this won’t treat teeth grinding, especially if it happens in your sleep, your symptoms will be reduced if you take steps to prevent exacerbating them during the day.
Teeth grinding can result in several chronic side effects, like headaches and jaw soreness. It can also lead to such complications as jaw muscle fatigue, misshapen teeth, and worn tooth enamel. If you suffer from teeth grinding, protect your pearly whites by wearing a custom-fitted dental mouthguard at night, working out regularly, and unwinding before bed.
Do You Suffer From Chronic Teeth Grinding?
If you suffer from teeth grinding you owe it to yourself to speak with an experienced dentist as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.
