Bruxism; if you have never heard the word, you are not alone. With that being said, you may be one of the billions of people on the planet that suffer from the condition.
According to Saddleback Dentistry in Great Laguna Hills grinding and clenching teeth is quite common with more and more people scheduling dental appointments to combat bruxism.
What is Bruxism?
Bruxism is involuntary and causes a person to grind and clench teeth. Bruxism can happen while you are awake and at night. In fact, you probably won’t be aware that you are clenching or grinding your teeth while you are sleeping.
Whether you grind at night or during the day it can have dangerous consequences to your teeth and your bite.
What Causes Tooth Grinding?
Although researchers aren’t sure what causes bruxism, they do know it can lead to clenching and eventual teeth grinding.
While it is impossible to narrow down one single cause, there are several reasons a person may clench and grind teeth.
Stress and anxiety are the biggest cause for concern. People tend to clench and grind when faced with an unpleasant or negative situation as well.
Dr. Dean Garcia also explains that people with high levels of stress tend to grind teeth more frequently. If you have a change in sleeping patterns it could also be the reason you clench your jaw.
Studies show that grinding teeth is preceded by an escalation of cardiovascular and brain activity. This might explain why grinding and clenching is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes a person to stop breathing while sleeping.
More Cases in Laguna Hills
Dr. Dean Garcia and Dr. Ryan Conkle from Saddleback Dentistry have seen a higher percentage of bruxism cases lately. You certainly can’t argue the fact that most people have had to deal with an incredible amount of stress over the past 18 months.
Everyone copes with anxiety differently and sometimes your jaw and your teeth take the majority of the stress whether you know it or not.
Other Factors Include:
- Fear
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Bite Issues
- Problems with your TMJ, Jaw Joints
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Snoring
- Depression
More research is need to understand the connections between the factors and why they affect clenching and grinding.
Teeth and Bruxism
Both clenching and grinding cause extreme stress on your jaw and teeth. If Bruxism is not treated by your dentist in Laguna Hills the condition will probably get worse.
You May Have Bruxism if You
- Clench and Grind Teeth
- Have Teeth that are Worn
- Experience Jaw Pain
- Have Facial Pain
- Experience Earaches
- Have Headaches
- Are Dealing with Jaw Stiffness
- Have Pain in Your Temporomandibular Joints, Jaw Joints
- Suffer from a Lack of Sleep
Help for Bruxism in Laguna Hills
If you or someone you know is clenching and grinding, call and schedule an appointment with Saddleback Dentistry. The bruxism experts are able to diagnose and treat the condition giving you peace of mind and a better night’s sleep.
Call or send a text and schedule your dental appointment in Laguna Hills today.