Many people have caught themselves from time to time clenching their jaws or grinding their teeth.  Occasional teeth grinding, called bruxism, can be a natural occurrence that typically causes no serious harm, but when teeth grinding becomes a more regular habit, it can cause damaged teeth and other oral health complications.

Almost everyone has experienced stress and anxiety that can be causes of teeth grinding and jaw clenching, as these two emotional states are usually partnered with physical symptoms. But teeth grinding can also occur during sleep and when it does it is more likely the result of a deeper rooted physical problem.

Missing or crooked teeth, an abnormal bite pattern, and sleep disorders are three of the most common physical issues that can result in teeth grinding during the night.   Because of this occurrence during sleep, most people are unaware of what they are doing, they only begin to experience symptoms that they have difficulty explaining.

Sore jaws, dull yet constant headaches, and lack of sleep can all be the result of nighttime bruxism and jaw clenching.  In many cases, these symptoms are explained away for a period of time without regard to their actual causes.  Dentists who are expert in advanced dental care such as Alani Dental, can provide treatment plans for correction of bruxism and jaw clenching by examining the mouth and teeth.

It is important to seek help in understanding what is causing these issues as in some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in the loosening, fracturing, or eventual loss of teeth.  This chronic grinding wears the teeth down which leads to more extensive future dental work such as crowns, root canals, or implants.

Not only can severe be caused by chronic teeth grinding, the effects on the jaw can cause or worsen joint pain.  The clenching of the muscles in the jaw can eventually cause inflammation and pain in the joint, making the jaw painful to open and close properly. This can eventually lead to chronic disorders such as Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, or TMJ,  that require much more in depth medical intervention to alleviate.

All of these results may be kept at bay with regular dental visits and open communication with your dentist.  An experienced dentist can fit your mouth with a mouthguard that can be worn at night to hold the mouth in a proper consistent position, therefore reducing the ability to grind teeth.  A simple solution to an otherwise painful and stressful problem.