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Posted on 5/20/2019 by Dr. Shaun Rai |
 There is nothing better than a good night's sleep. Eight hours of undisturbed rest with nothing but pleasant dreams. Even if you get a night's sleep like this, it does not mean there is nothing going on with your body. For some people, sleep is the time when their mouth starts to work overtime. They struggle with bruxism or grinding of the teeth. The biggest problem is that they don't even know it's happening until much later when they start to notice the signs. Signs of BruxismLike many different conditions, the sooner you recognize a problem with bruxism, the easier it is to manage it and prevent any problems. The easiest way to find out you have bruxism is with the help of others. If you grind your teeth while you sleep, the noise can disturb others. It is possible to learn about bruxism while you sleep before any damage happens when someone else notices it first. When you don't have someone else to turn to find out if you suffer from bruxism, you can look for the signs that it creates. This can include chipped, broken or damaged teeth. You may notice that the enamel of the teeth is wearing down. Grinding of the teeth can cause teeth to become loose or to fall out when left untreated. Over time, bruxism can lead to problems with tooth decay and gum disease. There are other signs that do not seem to involve the teeth. The stress of bruxism can lead to pain in the jaw when you wake up. You may have headaches, or you may suffer from TMJ as a result of bruxism. There are simple ways to treat bruxism. Oral appliances are often the best way to mitigate the problems that come with bruxism, but they require recognizing the signs and doing something about it. For more information about this or any other oral health issue, contact our office to schedule an appointment. |
