Issue 45.11
If you wake up with headaches or stiff and painful jaw muscles, you may be experiencing the side effects of tooth grinding (also known as bruxism). It can be difficult for people to realize that they have this disorder because they sometimes grind their teeth in their sleep. Daytime grinding, on the other hand, can be controlled if the person is made aware that they have a nervous habit like clenching, lip-biting, thumb-sucking, or nail-biting. It’s important to diagnosis and treat tooth grinding as it can cause teeth to become painful, loose, or damaged. Common causes of tooth grinding include an abnormal bite, crooked or missing teeth, and stress. Correcting these causes is important, but temporary relief can be found by wearing a plastic mouthpiece.
One of the damaging results of bruxism is tooth wear, which can be made worse when combined with abrasive materials such as smokeless tobacco, occupational dust, baking soda, whitening toothpastes and erosive chemicals such as pool chlorine, acidic beverages, and stomach acid in conditions such as acid reflux or bulimia. To prevent further damage that may require extensive dental reconstruction, treatment of these conditions requires being aware of the risks of certain habits and modifying the behavior early before damage occurs. If your teeth area already damaged and worn or if you wake up with headaches or stiff and painful jaw muscles we have the specialized training to sort through the causes and provide the appropriate solution.
Rodney L Andrus,DDS,MS Prosthodontist,is Founder of St George Center For SPECIALIZED DENTISTRY Expert Solutions For Challenging Dental Problems (435) 674-3100.