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What Is Teeth Grinding?

Have you ever looked at your teeth over a period of time, and thought that they were wearing down? This could be because you are a subconscious teeth grinder. Most people tend to grind their teeth while they are asleep, and can wear a mouth guard to stop your self. However this is not always the case and you may find yourself grinding your teeth during stressful situations, and you can’t exactly wear a mouth guard at work without getting some funny looks.

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the dental term for teeth grinding. People tend to grind their teeth unknowingly and this can cause major damage to the teeth depending on how often it is done.

Is Teeth Grinding Bad?

Excessive and continuous teeth grinding can have a serious effect on teeth, because as you grind down your teeth you wear away the enamel, which is there to protect your teeth, and this can cause the following problems:

Short Term

Jaw Ache
Facial Muscle Ache
Stiffness/Tightness in the shoulders

Long Term

Worn/Cracked Teeth
Teeth Sensitivity
temporomandibular joint disorder (discomfort and stiffness in the jaw)

What Causes Teeth Grinding?

Stress/Anxiety – Research has shown that emotional stress or anxiety has led to people subconsciously grinding their teeth when they sleep, in some severe cases people under high stress levels grind their teeth during the day without realising.

Lifestyle – Drinking alcohol, smoking and taking recreational drugs has also been linked with teeth grinding.

Medicines – Drugs that change a persons mood such as anti depressants can also cause a person to grind their teeth subconsciously.

Abnormal Bite – If you have missing teeth or crooked teeth and your bite doesn’t match up properly, it can cause teeth grinding.

How To Treat Teeth Grinding

Mouth Splint – Are hard plastic splints that have been made to fit your mouths measurements, which fit over the upper and lower teeth to prevent grinding.
Mouth Guard – These are very similar to what you may have seen rugby players wear. They are made out of a bendy rubber material and cover your teeth to stop you from grinding.

What Do I Do About My Teeth Grindin

If you are worried about excessive teeth grinding, and are worried about the long term effects this will have on your teeth, then book a free consultation today, with one of our professional dental experts to discuss the options available to you.

Get in touch with us today on 01827 664 35