Bruxism, or constant teeth-grinding, is the kind of problem that you can know you have, and yet not realize it’s a problem. After all, most people grind their teeth occasionally, often as a nervous habit or a reaction to stress or anxiety. However, having bruxism means more than just grinding your teeth once in a while. It’s an underlying oral health condition that can force your teeth to grind against each other much more often than you may notice. Today, we examine a few things you should consider if you grind your teeth a lot, and when you should take the condition seriously enough to seek treatment for it as soon as possible.
You might grind your teeth more than you know
One of the biggest problems with having a bruxism habit is that you won’t always know when you’re grinding your teeth. There won’t be triggers, such as stress or anxiety, to cause you to grind your teeth, and for many patients, the grinding can be most frequent when they sleep at night. The frequency of your teeth-grinding is the biggest threat of the condition, as the excessive pressure and friction can lead to several forms of wear and damage to your teeth.
The damage to your teeth can become severe in time
Treating your chronic teeth-grinding habit as soon as possible is important to preserving your healthy, natural tooth structure and the integrity of your oral health. When they’re allowed to consistently grind together with unmitigated force, your teeth can start to wear down, particularly around their chewing surfaces. They may also fracture or break, be forced out of alignment, or suffer other forms of damage that can compromise your oral health and bite function, as well as the tooth itself.
It could take professional treatment to stop
Because bruxism isn’t a reaction, but a condition, it can be difficult to stop yourself from grinding your teeth on your own. Despite the times you might catch yourself doing it, the underlying problem that causes you to grind your teeth will continue to affect your oral health. To successfully stop grinding your teeth and avoid more significant damage to them, you may need help from your dentist to professionally treat your condition. When bruxism is detected and treated early enough, it may be addressed conservatively with the help of a custom-designed oral appliance, or nightguard.
Learn how to deal with your teeth-grinding habit
Grinding your teeth constantly can become more of a problem than you realize, and it’s best to address your bruxism habit as soon as possible. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.
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