Bruxism is the term used to describe the grinding of your teeth, whether it is a habit or an involuntary action. In the majority of cases, it usually occurs as a subconscious act that happens while the person is sleeping.
Unfortunately, continued teeth grinding can cause permanent damage to your teeth as the protective layer (enamel) is gradually worn away. Teeth grinding can lead to short and long term symptoms:
There are few factors which could contribute to this habit:
Stress/Anxiety – It is estimated that the majority of bruxism related cases can occur because of emotional stress and anxiety, which subconsciously affects you while you are sleeping (e.g. work/home issues).
Lifestyle – It is more common for people to suffer from bruxism if they smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol regularly, or take drugs.
Medicines – Psychotropic drugs that are taken to change a persons mood (anti-depressants/psychotics) can also have the side effect of bruxism.
Abnormal Bite – This mean when their is an issue with how you upper and lower teeth come together. If you have crooked/missing teeth, you are also more likely to suffer from bruxism.
There are such devices that can be worn during night to control the problem of bruxism, but some individuals may require additional treatments.
Mouth Splint – Splints are made out of a hard plastic and are specifically made for your measurements to fit over the upper/lower teeth.
Mouth Guard – The guards are made out of a bendy rubber and cover your teeth to stop them from grinding (very similar to gum shields worn by rugby players).
If you would like to find out more about treating teeth grinding or unfortunately it has progressed to a stage where you require some dental work to treat your worn down teeth, please no not hesitate to call us or fill out the short form below to arrange your free consultation.