Here at West Covina Family Dentistry, we are dedicated to helping our patients who suffer from bruxism. Bruxism is often called teeth grinding. Though many people grind their teeth occasionally, other people seem to grind their teeth on a regular basis. This can damage your teeth and cause many other dental problems.
People who grind their teeth usually do it when they are sleeping. It can be caused by dental problems like an abnormal bite or missing teeth. Teeth grinding is also seen a lot with patients who suffer from sleep apnea. Stress and anxiety can also cause teeth grinding, both during the day and at night.
Since most people grind their teeth at night, they might not even realize they do it. However, patients who wake up constantly with a headache or a sore jaw may suffer from bruxism.
Teeth grinding can cause a lot of problems. You could loosen your teeth to the point of losing them completely. You may also break a tooth or several teeth. Chronic grinding will wear your teeth down until you barely have much left of them. Chronic grinding can really hurt your jaw and change the appearance of your face.
The easiest way to fix teeth grinding is by wearing a mouthguard at night. However, if the grinding is caused by stress, you need to find ways to reduce your stress. You may also benefit from taking muscle relaxers.
Caffeine can make teeth grinding worse, so you may want to cut back on coffee, soft drinks, and chocolate. You should also cut back on alcohol because many people grind their teeth after drinking.
If you have any questions about bruxism, don’t hesitate to contact us today at (626) 856-3317.