Monday, July 22, 2013

Grinding Teeth and Clenching Teeth, What Can it Do To You?

Have you heard of the term Bruxism?

If your spouse/sleep partner, parent, sibling, or next-door neighbor who you share an extremely thin wall with is telling you they hear you grinding your teeth together at night, you most likely have Bruxism. Even if you are not actively grinding with noise, but are clenching hard without significant movements, you also have Bruxism. Both can do similar damage to your teeth, gums, periodontal ligaments, bone, and the TMJ.

Below is a list of some of the damage it can cause
  • Can't open your mouth wide easily
  • Excessive Tooth Wear (on the biting surface)
  • Sharp edges on the Teeth which can irritate your tongue or cheek
  • Cracking of the Tooth
  • Breaking of the Tooth
  • Abfractions (a V-shaped indent at the neck of the tooth by the gums from tooth chipping off over a long period of time due to the flexure of the tooth from the excessive bite force, often confused with toothbrush abrasions which are shaped differently)
  • Teeth Sensitivity
  • Gum Inflammation (like when you have gingivitis and gums bleed with flossing)
  • Bone loss (like when you have periodontitis and bone resorbs)
  • Loosening of the teeth (gum inflammation and bone loss leads to this, just like gum disease caused by bacteria, in acute cases the ligament fibers surrounding the tooth roots swell up/get inflamed making the tooth loose)
  • In acute cases, severe pain as if your nerve is infected (this is also due to the ligament fibers holding the tooth inside the bone getting inflamed all of the sudden)
  • In chronic cases, slow death of the tooth nerve leading to a virtually painless abscess (I have seen lower front teeth often with an abcess when the teeth have no other problems except heavy wear from grinding)
  • Bigger cheek muscles (like you've been pumping iron and your arms get buff)
  • Damage to the TMJ (your joints taking on excessive pressure will get damaged, just like your knee joint can)
  • Headaches/Migraines (all the tension in the muscles restrict blood flow/circulation)
  • Pain and Sensitivity in the head and neck region in general, but more concentrated in the chewing muscle areas.
  • If this goes on for long enough, the neck and shoulder region will also get affected - meaning will be tense and tender as well.

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