16 May How Stress Can Affect Your Oral Health
Daily stressors can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Some people try to manage stress with food; some resort to healthy endeavors like exercise. But for many, the result of too much daily tension can result in teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Signs are evident to your dentist, but you may not realize this damaging habit has begun to occur.
How It Begins
The strain of daily obligations may begin to take their toll during periods of sleep. This is often how teeth grinding begins. You don’t even know it is happening until you awake to discomfort in your jaw, neck, head, or face. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching may get their start subconsciously during periods of sleep leading to exhibiting this same habit during the day as well.
When grinding you are wearing down your teeth; this can lead to broken teeth or previously placed restorations. Or you can wear down the protective enamel on teeth which can lead to dental decay.
Eventually your sleep may be disturbed, and that discomfort you experienced before may be replaced with more severe pain.
Effective Solutions
A visit to your dentist should be your first step. The diagnosis may be bruxism followed by a recommendation to begin wearing a custom made night guard.
Other suggestions to help you break the grinding habit may involve therapy, medications, and finding ways to eliminate daily stressors. These are great suggestions, but they take time to work. A night guard can have an immediate impact, but it is important that you obtain the night guard that is best for you.
Your dentist will customize a night guard that will fit well. The fit is important … after all, if it doesn’t fit properly you won’t wear it. So don’t waste time and money on a generic mouth guard that will not provide the same benefits you will get from one custom made especially for you.
You will likely experience many benefits from wearing a night guard. That morning discomfort should be alleviated, and just knowing you are protecting your teeth from further damage may eliminate one more worry. To learn more about this effective treatment option, contact our team today to schedule a consultation.