We often warn you against dreadful cavities. These bugs indeed are responsible for a majority of damaged teeth and painful root canals. However, apart from cavities, some other conditions also impact the strength of your teeth. Hence, we shall discuss one such disorder known as bruxism.
What is Bruxism:
During a thrilling and captivating movie, we often clench our teeth out of utter suspense. Now, it is expected to clench your teeth under such a situation, and it’s a rare occurrence. However, for some, teeth clenching and grinding become a common experience to the extent this habit can cause severe dental problems. Moreover, there are two types of bruxism:
Night Bruxism: The sneaky type that occurs when you are asleep. Although you cannot witness the action yourself, you will feel its side effects. Moreover, at times the intensity of night bruxism can wake up your sleeping partner.
Day Bruxism: Occurs during the day when you are well awake. Hence, you can consciously take control and relax your muscles. Consequently, the day bruxism is easier to treat compared to night bruxism.
Often bruxism causes nothing severe, but sometimes the intense frequency can add up to some dental problems. Therefore, we will discuss what severe bruxism is capable of and why it needs immediate dental attention.
How Does Bruxism Affect Your Jaw Muscles:
We need muscles to move any part of our body, and the same is the case for our jaws. During an episode of bruxism, your jaw muscles undergo tremendous strain as they have to work overtime due to clenched teeth. As a result, you can wake up with jaw pain due to fatigued muscles. The tiredness also adds up to a “stiff” jaw – when you cannot completely open or close your jaws.
Bruxism And Your Teeth:
Due to constant grinding, your teeth will experience wear and tear. Therefore, it can flatten the base of teeth, causing biting difficulties. Moreover, bruxism also leads to fractured or chipped teeth. In addition, the enamel attrition also leads to increased tooth sensitivity – the pricking sensation when you eat something hot or cold.
Who Is Susceptible to Bruxism?
Although anyone can suffer from bruxism, some people are more susceptible to develop this disorder, for example:
- Anyone suffering from stress or anxiety has a higher chance of developing the disorder. Hence, as a treatment dentist always suggests reducing the amount of stress in one’s life and surroundings.
- Bruxism is more common in children, and they eventually outgrow this habit.
- An aggressive or competitive person is more prone to this disorder.
- Bruxism also runs in genes, so if your family members have it, chances are you might also develop bruxism in your lifetime.
Conclusion:
In this article, we covered the basics you need to know about bruxism. Bruxism is relatively harmless, but the situation can take a sharp turn if the frequency intensifies. Therefore, due to bruxism, if you experience a sore and stiff jaw every morning, immediately visit Brenham Family Dental for a complete checkup and treatment. In addition, you can also call us at 979-421-9685 for any queries.