MOST PEOPLE CLENCH or grind their teeth from time to time. However, if you’re doing so frequently—especially while you’re sleeping—you may be damaging your teeth.
The Harmful Effects
If you grind your teeth at night (also called bruxing), you may already be experiencing the most obvious, immediate effects: namely, unexplained headaches and jaw pain.
Chronic grinding can cause tooth fractures, loose teeth, and even tooth loss. Grinding can also wear down teeth and severely damage fillings and crowns. Left untreated, bruxism can lead to eventual bone loss in your jaw.
Unconscious Habits Can Be Hard To Correct
What’s really frustrating about bruxing is that most people do it while they’re asleep. That means the problem often goes unidentified for a long time.
Do you find yourself waking up with headaches or a sore jaw? Does your loved one complain about these symptoms? If it has been happening for a while, you may actually start seeing worn-down teeth, or gums that are unusually inflamed.
We Can Help
We can diagnose bruxism, and make recommendations to help remedy it. There are many options, depending on the specific circumstances. Sometimes, treatment includes making a custom mouthguard to protect teeth. Or perhaps some dental adjustments can help your teeth better align.
Let’s talk about your lifestyle too. Perhaps stress reduction is in order and could help. We’re not only interested in your smile, but also in your whole-body health. If you or someone you care for is struggling with bruxism, let’s visit.
New Year’s Day came and went, and left a lot of challenges in its wake. During the very first week of January, our office team experienced a really hard day. One of our assistants called out first thing in the morning due to a death in the family. “Alright,” we thought to ourselves, “we can still get through the day.” But then we arrived at the office and discovered our computer network was down. Now normally I’m the in-house IT guy, but when I couldn’t figure out what was causing the problem, we had to bring in the experts. Two hours later, it was up and running, but sporadically. And because our office is entirely based on electronics, we were essentially flying blind. “Okay,” we thought, “this is a challenge, but we can still survive.” Of course, Murphy’s Law was in full effect that day, and as we gathered together for our morning huddle, yet another assistant called in to say she wouldn’t be making it to work. There we were; down two team members, down on the computer network, and down on our luck. “Well,” we thought to ourselves, “now what?”
THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION STRONGLY SUGGESTS that we replace our toothbrushes every 3–4 months for maximum effectiveness.
Take a close look at your toothbrush bristles. Are they frayed? Smashed? Discolored? Kinda gross? It’s time for a new toothbrush.
MANY PEOPLE, AFTER COMPLETING orthodontic treatment, are fitted with a fixed retainer—a thin wire that’s bonded to the back of teeth, designed to help keep teeth straight and aligned.
HORMONAL CHANGES CAN AFFECT nearly every part of our bodies—including the mouth and gums. If you, or someone you love, is experiencing sore, swollen, extra pink or bleeding gums it may be a result of such changes. Studies show that changing hormones particularly affect women’s periodontal health.
