Do you notice that you regularly have sore teeth during the day? Do people comment on the grinding noise you’re making when you’re asleep? These can be signs of TMJ disorder or Bruxism, which may be why you grind your teeth. Both are closely related, possibly being symptoms and/or causes of each other. Leaving either disorder untreated can lead to extensive damage to your jaw’s joints as well as your teeth. Your dentist can provide you with options to help you stop your teeth grinding.
Avoid The Daily Grind
Although doctors don’t completely understand what causes you to grind your teeth, there are physical and psychological symptoms that commonly occur along with it such as:
- High emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger, or tension.
- Abnormal alignment of upper and lower teeth, also known as malocclusion.
- Sleep issues such as sleep apnea or insomnia.
- Stomach acid reflux.
- A side effect of some psychiatric medications, such as phenothiazines or antidepressants.
- A habit used to focus or cope.
- A complication related to disorders such as Huntington’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
Your dentist can provide you with a custom-made mouth guard. This mouth guard will protect your teeth from grinding against each other. This should help prevent further damage to your jaw and teeth, as well as relieve you from other symptoms of teeth grinding such as chronic headaches and a sore mouth.
Aside from the mouth guard, your dentist may refer you to a mental health expert who can provide you with therapies or counseling that can treat the mental and emotional causes of teeth grinding.
