Why You Shouldn't Ignore Teeth Grinding

Most people shrug off teeth clenching or teeth grinding as just an annoying habit that does not cause any real harm. However, the truth is that while mild teeth grinding or bruxism as it is medically referred to, may not have any alarming consequences, more severe cases can cause a range of complications. Getting the appropriate treatment in time can help ease the symptoms and prevent any further damage.

Here are some of the consequences of bruxism and why it should not be ignored:

Damage to Teeth

When you clench or grind your teeth constantly, the biting surfaces of the upper as well as the lower teeth tend to get worn out and can get chipped or damaged. If you have crowns or overlays, these can get damaged and will need to be replaced and dentures can get fractured. You will end up having to pay a lot of money to get your teeth restored to their former condition. If you are aware that you grind your teeth during the day or are told that you do so in your sleep, see a dentist at the earliest to prevent further damage to your teeth.

Chronic Headaches

Stress has been proven to be the number one factor that causes a person to grind their teeth in their sleep. This continual grinding and the related mouth and jaw movements cause severe headaches that recur from time to time. While over the counter medications can help to alleviate the pain, because they are recurrent, they can be inconvenient, uncomfortable and annoying and can also trigger off other problems such as depression and anxiety. Taking steps to stop the bruxism will usually stop the headaches as well.

Temporomandibular Disorders

The almost continual moving of the mouth when grinding the teeth moves the temporomandibular joints more than it should. The temporomandibular joints, or TMJ, are the ball and socket joints that join the jawbones or the mandible to the temporal bone of the skull. Disproportionate mouth movements can cause problems with these joints and they can even get dislocated in case of severe bruxism.

Changes in Bite Pattern

Grinding the teeth continually will wear away your teeth slowly and eventually change the shape of your teeth. This will force you to change your bite as you unconsciously or consciously favor your undamaged teeth for biting. This can hamper your dietary intake as it makes eating certain foods a little more difficult.

Facial Pains

Continuously clenching your teeth can strain the facial muscles and trigger off a lot of facial pains that over time will accelerate the formation of wrinkles and cause the skin to sag faster.

With so many harmful injuries of bruxism, it is a good idea to attend to them immediately and prevent any further complications.