Teeth-Grinding: Causes, Effects, and Treatments

Teeth-grinding, also known as Bruxism, is a condition that you are probably familiar with where people grind their teeth together in the their sleep.  For one person, this could be something that happens almost every night while for another person, it has probably never happened before.  So which person are you?  If you are the individual who grinds your teeth every night in your sleep, it is important that you find out why and understand the effects that it has on the health of your teeth.

The two major causes of teeth-grinding have been narrowed down to sleep patterns and stress, with the greater cause being stress.  Are you stressed out pretty often?  If so, you need to learn how to manage that stress in order to maintain a healthy mouth.  Sometimes it could just be a bad habit.  Some people grind or clench their teeth out of habit during the day and don't realize the damage that it does to their mouth.  Bruxism wears away at your tooth enamel, breaking down the protection on your teeth and making you more prone to getting cavities.  Teeth-grinding can also wear out the muscles and joints of the temporomandibular joint in your jaw.  This could lead to TMJ problems as well as bone loss.

One thing that may help to keep you from grinding your teeth at night is to wear a night guard.  A night guard is similar to a mouth guard and helps to keep your teeth apart when you sleep.  If you clench your teeth out of habit, start by reminding yourself when you do it and keeping your teeth apart when your mouth is closed.  Remember that the more you do it, the more you aggravate your mouth and the more damage is done to your jaw over time.  If you believe stress may be the cause of your bruxism, try exercising or taking a warm bath before bed.  Do things that will relieve your stress and making your body feel more at ease.

Tulsa dentist Dr. Larry F. James provides high-quality dental work to those living in the Tulsa area.  If you are in need of dental reconstruction, teeth whitening, TMJ treatments, cosmetic dental procedures, or just general dental care, Tulsa Dentist Dr. Larry F. James is qualified and ready to take care of you!  For the finest dental care in Tulsa, Oklahoma, look nowhere else!  Call or visit Dr. Larry F. James in Tulsa today!    

This blog post has been composed by Tulsa internet marketing company Quantus Creative.