How to Prevent Teeth Grinding?

Do you wake from sleep at night or experience sore jaws or teeth? It could happen because you were grinding your teeth while sleeping. In medical terms grinding of the teeth is referred as bruxism. This problem of clenching jaws or grinding teeth can occur at any age. While teeth grinding takes place unconsciously while you’re fast asleep, sometimes it also happens when you’re awake going about your daily routine. How do I know I grind my teeth and is there a solution?

Symptoms of Teeth grinding

Headaches are known to be a common symptom of teeth grinding. Some other symptoms related to this problem are stiffness in your shoulders and neck, enlargement of your facial muscles, joint discomfort, sleeping problems, and ear pain. Apart from these symptoms, the frequent teeth-grinding process also affects the mobility of your teeth and shows abnormal wear on your teeth. In severe cases without proper treatment, it can result in the loss or fracturing of teeth.

What are the causes of teeth grinding?

Teeth grinding can start at any age and the major causes are anxiety, smoking, stress, heavy alcohol consumption, depression, insomnia, and caffeine. According to the research, bruxism occurs majorly in people who suffer from sleep apnea (obstructive), who snore, or someone whose lifestyle involves a heavy caffeine intake.

Treatments

How to treat the teeth grinding problem? First, you need to find out the cause of grinding before treating the problem. Identify if it is due to anxiety, stress, sleep disorder, or lifestyle issues. Visit your dentist or orthodontist to find out which treatment plan will work best for you.