You care about your dental health, so you brush and floss your teeth at least twice day and visit your dentist every six month for regular dental checkups and cleanings. Yet, allowing dental plaque to accumulate excessively is only a portion of the issues that could affect your teeth and gums. Some common habits can have a detrimental effect on the integrity of your oral health. Since you might not even notice the habit, it could prove more dangerous than some dental diseases. As part of our dedication to your continued good oral health, Fresno dentists, Dr. Alex and Claudia Denes, discuss the habit of teeth grinding, what it may mean, and how it can undermine your efforts at maintaining a healthy smile.
Complications of Bruxism
Most people can recall at least one occurrence during which they gritted their teeth. A moment of pain, anxiety, frustration, anger, or some other strong negative emotion may have caused the tension throughout your muscles, including those that control the movement of your jaw. While occasional fits of clenching your teeth are not typically dangerous to your teeth, habitual teeth grinding, called bruxism, can lead to a host of dental health issues. For instance, the joints that connect your lower jaw (mandible) to your skull, known as the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), can become damaged or misaligned when placed under the extreme pressure of constant tooth grinding. The resulting discomfort is referred to as TMJ disorder, although it can manifest itself in your jaw, face, neck, head, shoulders, ears, and sometimes your back.
Your teeth can also suffer directly from grinding them. The enamel that surrounds and protects your teeth can wear down and expose your softer, more vulnerable tooth structure, or you may outright crack or fracture one or more teeth, threatening their very existence.
Stop Teeth Grinding with Help from Your Fresno Dentists
While experts are at a loss for determining an exact cause of habitual teeth grinding, you can treat your condition at your Fresno dentist’s office to help prevent the subsequent complications. In most cases, bruxism occurs at night, and you may not realize that you have a problem. However, if you exhibit excessive tooth wear, TMJ disorder, or other symptoms that you suspect may stem from bruxism, then contact Dr. Denes by calling your family dentists at (559) 297-1800. Located in the 93720 area, Fresno Dental Studio proudly serves patients from Fresno, Clovis, Mendota, Orange Cove, Reedley, Selma, and the surrounding areas.