Why does a person sometimes grind their teeth? It may be a response to stress, or a symptom of problems with TMJ disorder. In the short term, teeth grinding can lead to sensitive teeth, soreness or stiffness in your jaw, and facial pain. If the problem continues, it can lead to serious dental damage that may require restorative dental work! For people who grind their teeth at night, a custom oral appliance can help. Your Virginia Beach, VA dentist’s office is able to identify signs of teeth grinding and recommend treatment. Our practice is also here to help you if you have suffered harm to your enamel because of this habit.
Is Stress Responsible For Your Teeth Grinding Issues?
Teeth grinding problems can be connected to the function of your bite, or to ongoing issues with your jaw joints and function. With that said, it is also possible that your problems are related to a rise in your stress levels. Stress is something people sometimes overlook when they are trying to understand why they have recently struggled with dental health issues. When you have trouble with stress management, or in times of greater stress, you can have problems with your dental health due to unrecognized changes in your habits, as well as because of physiological changes.
Make An Effort To Protect Your Smile From Physical Damage
If you think you are grinding your teeth because of stress, practicing measures to relax can help you control the problem. Relaxing behaviors can be particularly helpful in the evening before you go to bed, as they can help with nightly grinding. Be careful not to respond to a tendency to grind your teeth by idly chewing on hard surfaces. This can cause more wear and tear to your teeth, and it can ensure that you continue to put pressure on your jaw joints and muscles.
Don’t Ignore A Chipped Or Cracked Tooth!
If you have already chipped or cracked a tooth, you should not ignore the matter. It may lead to an infection of your tooth, which can lead to more troubles with pain and sensitivity, and require root canal treatment. By reaching out to your dentist, you can have the tooth examined, and receive a custom dental crown for protection.
Your Virginia Beach, VA Dentist Has Experience Treating Problems With Teeth Grinding
Your Virginia Beach, VA dentist’s office has helped many patients who struggled with problems related to teeth grinding. By addressing this habit, and by taking care of any dental damage that has already occurred, we can help you regain a confident, healthy smile that is no longer impacted by pain. For more information about our services, please call Absolute Dental Care at (757) 428-7440.