Clenching or grinding your teeth, also known as bruxism, is a habit that occurs in 8-20% of in young children, adolescents, and young to middle aged adults. Stress and anxiety are common instigators for bruxism. Often we may be unaware of bruxism because it most commonly occurs when we are sleeping. In fact, many people bring up tooth grinding to us because their partners can hear them grinding their teeth at night!
Bruxism can range from mild to severe, and can affect the teeth, jaw, and muscles of the head.
Effects on teeth:
In extreme instances, people can grind their teeth right down to the gum line. Not only does this affect the long term longevity of the teeth and esthetics, but you may also require additional dental work such as root canals.
Putting so much force on the teeth also leads them to be more easily fractured.
Once the hard outer layer of the tooth surface is worn off, the softer inner layer of the tooth will be exposed and can lead to increased sensitivity of the teeth.
Bruxism can cause referred tooth pain and soreness
Effects on the jaw and muscles of the head:
Bruxism can also lead to jaw pain, which can then cause referred tooth pain.
Clenching and grinding of teeth can lead to temporal headaches
What can we do to prevent bruxism?
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent bruxism from occurring, but there are several ways we can manage bruxism and mitigate the effects that it has on our body.
Physiotherapy is often an effective way to manage jaw pain, however it will not prevent tooth grinding from happening. Physiotherapists will massage the muscles of the jaw to relax them and reduce soreness.
Nightguard: Nightguards are effective in preventing excessive wear on teeth. It is a small clear appliance that fits over your top or bottom teeth and act as a barrier between the teeth. Custom made nightguards are most comfortable and can be made at the dental office.
Botox: One of the great uses for Botox is to inject it into your jaw muscles! It helps relax the jaw muscles just enough to prevent them from involuntary clenching and grinding.
In extreme cases, referrals can be made to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) specialists to assess your jaw muscles and biting habits.
We would be happy to discuss these treatments further to see which options are the best for you! Please call us during business hours to set something up!
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