Have you been told that your mouth makes noise when you sleep? Do you experience jaw pain or fatigue? Have you noticed unusual wear on your teeth? Any of these symptoms may point to bruxism, a medical problem that involves grinding your teeth. You might be moving your upper and lower teeth continuously against each other, causing symptoms like those above. If you are one of the millions of people in the world affected by this problem, it’s time to learn more about it.

Causes
Some of the common causes of bruxism are stress, jaw or tooth misalignment, sleeping problems, and diet. Other causes include a competitive personality, suppressed anger or frustration, and medication side effects. Studies show that teeth grinding can be used as a coping mechanism for some people, and often they do it without even realizing it.

Effects
Bruxism can have extremely bothersome side effects, and can cause serious damage to your teeth over time. Teeth grinding often produces headaches, jaw soreness, earaches, and tooth sensitivity. Longtime grinding wears down your teeth and may cause cracks, loose teeth, and exposed roots. Additionally, grinding your teeth creates an annoying noise that family members and others may complain about, especially when it keeps them awake at night.

Treatment
First, take good care of your teeth by practicing proper hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly. Some bruxism patients are not even aware of their teeth grinding habit, so your dentist may recognize the effects before you do. Work with your dentist to identify the causes of your bruxism, and ask about treatment options. Treatments may involve stress management techniques, mouth guards, orthodontic work, or behavior therapy.

Dr. Yolanda Cruz – Cosmetic dentist in Toronto