SLEEPING WITH BRUXISM…
- Posted on: Mar 1 2015
Teeth grinding is clinically referred to as Bruxism. This is the act of consciously or unconsciously clenching/grinding your teeth, especially at night while you are sleeping. Bruxism could disrupt your sleep as well as your companions.
For all intensive purposes, almost everybody clenches his or her teeth. The problem lies in the intensity at which you clench. Severe bruxism can generate an incredible amount of force, causing damage to the teeth and surrounding muscles.
The cause of bruxism is not completely understood, however, it typically is related to stress and/or mal-alignment of the teeth. In any case, it is important that this health condition not be ignored.
The forces of bruxism have been known to cause: • A wearing down of the teeth, making the teeth appear shorter and more flat. The teeth are also at a greater risk of being broken. • Small fractures occur in the teeth and eventually cause the teeth to break. These teeth may require a root canal.• Sensitivity is a common result of bruxism usually resulting in a soreness and/or cold sensitivity. • Receding gums are the result of the tooth flexing, causing the gum to pull away from the tooth and exposing the root surface. This can cause sensitivity as well as, wearing away of the exposed root surface from brushing and continued bruxism. • Sore Muscles can occur especially in the cheek and temple area when these two muscles are overused, as with grinding the teeth. • TMJ problems are related to jaw joint pain and sore jaw muscles. In severe cases, the jaw joint may become overloaded and the resulting problem may lead to surgical intervention.
If you feel you suffer from bruxism early diagnosis of the problem will minimize long-term damage to the teeth and jaws. Currently, the most common treatment against bruxism is a custom-made mouth-guard that is worn during your sleep to prevent unconscious teeth grinding. Call Park City Dental Spa today 435-615-8500!
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