GRINDING AND WEAR
Most people probably grind and clench their teeth from time to time. Occasional teeth grinding, called bruxism, does not usually cause harm.
When teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis or with significant force, the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can arise.
WHY DO PROPLE GRIND THEIR TEETH?
There are many causes of tooth grinding or other 'parafunctional' habits. This is defined as the the habitual exercise of a body part in a way that is other than the most common use of that body part.
In dentistry, the body part in question is usually the mouth, tongue, or jaw. Oral para-functional habits may include bruxism (tooth-clenching, grinding, or both), tongue tension ("tongue thrusting"), fingernail biting, pencil or pen chewing, mouth breathing, and any other habitual use of the mouth unrelated to eating, drinking, or speaking. Many of us form these habits as children or adolescents and never grow out of them.
Although parafunctional habits may be triggered by known stress and anxiety, it often caused by other stressors our body experiences that we are not aware of. People commonly think of tooth grinding as being a nighttime activity related to our sleeping and this is because tooth grinding in particular is commonly related to a greater medical condition such as sleep disordered breathing, sleep apnea, or acid reflux. When our bodies are in lack of oxygen, causing stress to our brain and hearts, our mouths and surrounding muscles become triggered to move to attempt to regain oxygen. This is a complex process but in summary, any habit occurring during the day or night, is often the result of our bodies trying to tell us something.
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HOW DO I FIND OUT IF I GRIND MY TEETH?
Because grinding often occurs during sleep, most people are unaware that they grind their teeth or have another type of parafunctional habit. However, a dull, constant headache or sore jaw when you wake up is a telltale symptom of bruxism.
Many times people learn that they grind their teeth or stop breathing at night by their loved one who hears it.
If you suspect you may be gasping for air or grinding your teeth, talk to your dentist. They can examine your mouth and jaw for signs of parafunctional habits and sleep disordered breathing.
WHY IS TEETH GRINDING HARMFUL?
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In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in a fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. The chronic grinding may wear teeth down to where they are not savable. When these events happen, bridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed.
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Not only can severe grinding damage teeth and result in tooth loss, it can also affect your jaws, cause or worsen TMD, and even change the appearance of your face.
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The most important reason for paying attention to these oral habits is that if they are being caused by a greater medical condition that you are not aware of, bringing this to the attention of your dentist may save your LIFE!
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Traditionally, people visit the dentist much more often than their primary care physician and for this reason, dentists are known for seeing signs and symptoms of very serious medical conditions so that they can be caught early. Some of these conditions include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and even cancer.
WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP GRINDING MY TEETH?
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Your dentist plays a major role in helping you with any type of parafunctional mouth conditions.
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It is first important to determine the cause of the problem you are experiencing so that it can be treated in a way that will help you rather than harm you. For example, if you have sleep apnea with grinding and you only focus on fixing the grinding habit, you may actually cause the sleep apnea to worsen and potential cause a heart attack.
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Dr. Schlam will do a comprehensive workup with you to evaluate your teeth, muscles, jaw joint and surrounding structures that all play a part in causing a parafunctional habit. A custom treatment plan will then be created which may include recommendations for physical therapy as well as sleep specialty medicine.
Tips you can try right now to improve comfort with grinding:
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Avoid or cut back on foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as colas, chocolate, and coffee.
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Avoid hard foods during the intense times of pain.
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Avoid alcohol. Grinding tends to intensify after alcohol consumption.
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Do not chew on pencils or pens or anything that is not food.
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Train yourself not to clench or grind your teeth. If you notice that you clench or grind during the day, position the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This practice trains your jaw muscles to relax.
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Relax your jaw muscles at night by holding a warm washcloth against your cheek in front of your earlobe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is a bridge better than a dental implant?
Sometimes an area of a missing tooth is too large to try and reconstruct surgically, for this reason a bridge may be a more predictable and esthetic solution.
What is the difference between a crown and a veneer?
A crown usually covers the entire visible portion of your tooth while a veneer may cover just the front or several parts of the tooth. Ideally the final restoration is decided at the time of treatment as Dr. Schlam will choose the least invasive coverage needed for your tooth.
What if I need to crown or veneer all of my teeth?
If most or all of your teeth need to be treated to restore your mouth to health some additional measurements and trial crowns are used to ensure your entire dental system is rebuilt in a predictable manner.
Does my prosthetic dental treatment last forever?
Although our dental prosthetics are the best that dentistry has to offer, everything in our mouths and bodies wear over time and therefore may need to be replaced. Dr. Schlam can help estimate your long term prognosis for your care before deciding on a treatment option.