Many people will find they occasionally clench their teeth and especially if they feel angry or stressed, but others clench and grind their teeth more regularly, often while sleeping, so they do not even realize they have this potentially harmful habit. Teeth grinding and clenching, called bruxism in Newcastle, is a relatively common problem and can cause numerous dental problems that include abnormal wear and tear on teeth that can lead to chipping and cracking, jaw pain, earache and even headaches.
What Is Bruxism?
A person with bruxism will excessively and involuntarily grind or clench their teeth, and these go beyond the normal actions of biting and chewing food, speaking and swallowing. It’s often not clear why some people develop bruxism in Clarington, but various factors can increase the risk of developing this issue.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Around a quarter of people who have bruxism also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a condition where people stop breathing during sleep, often for several seconds. It is caused when the throat muscles relax, so the airway collapses inwards, preventing breathing. They are prompted to restart breathing when the brain registers the drop in oxygen levels. Mild to moderate sleep apnea is often treatable with a custom-made sleep appliance. West Bowmanville Family Dental can make a sleep appliance that fits over your teeth, holding the lower jaw slightly forwards, so the airway remains more open during sleep.
Anxiety and Stress
Everyday life can be stressful, especially for someone who is naturally more anxious, which can cause bruxism. Suppose stress is a problem and could be contributing to a bruxism habit. In that case, it can be worth exploring methods to reduce and control stress levels, such as gentle exercise, meditating or doing yoga, and even a warm bath at bedtime can help do the trick.
Poor Occlusion
A poor occlusion or poor bite is an issue called malocclusion. It is caused when teeth do not bite together properly and are misaligned, and this can cause teeth grinding and clenching. If your teeth are significantly misaligned, you might want to consider ways to straighten your smile. For example, Invisalign is an adult-oriented braces system that is extremely discreet and can correct many common bite problems.
Other factors that can cause teeth grinding and clenching include gastroesophageal reflux disease. Certain medications and medical conditions can also cause it. Your family history is another factor, and if you have close family members with bruxism, this can increase your risk of developing this condition.
Diagnosing and Treating Bruxism
We can often detect the signs of bruxism during a general dental checkup. Bruxism can cause excessive tooth wear so that teeth can appear shorter than before. As they wear down, tooth sensitivity can become more of a problem because teeth are no longer protected by tooth grinding wears away the protective tooth enamel, exposing the dentin underneath and which is softer so unpleasant sensations are more easily transmitted to the tooth nerve. You may find you wake up with headaches or facial pain or that your jaw has begun to ache where the jaw joints feel increasingly inflamed.
In addition to the potential solutions above, another way to treat bruxism is by having a custom-made night splint. We can make a nightguard that will generally fit over your upper teeth so that when you clench and grind, your lower teeth bite harmlessly against the night guard. Some people find they only need to wear a night guard for a short while to break their bruxism habit, but others may need it for longer. Our dentist in Bowmanville can also provide restorative dentistry to mend damaged teeth.
