Bruxism [bruhk-siz-uhm]
Here's a scenario...
It's 6am and your alarm is going off. Immediately you're feeling the stress. Traffic is already happening and you haven't even had breakfast yet.
You finally get to work and it's one of those days where everything is going wrong.
You sit in traffic again on your commute home and find out that your children were wreaking havoc on the house. You get through dinner and are getting ready for bed at 11:45pm.
The next morning you wake to your alarm again but this morning your jaw feels tense. It hurts to yawn. Chewing your bagel at breakfast is painful. All throughout the day you have a headache.
As days go by you notice that the discomfort in your jaw, mouth, and head have not gone away and now your back teeth are really sensitive.
You go to your dentist and he or she asks you if you're grinding your teeth. And you look at them in confusion and say, "I don't know. How can I tell?"
Sound familiar?
What you may have is bruxism or a habitual grinding of the teeth, usually done at night while you're sleeping, and is usually caused by stress. The jaw pain associated is called Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ).
All the stress and tension of your day that you've been suppressing is expressing itself when you are sleeping and your mouth, jaw, and head are the victims!
So, what can your dentist do for you?
Stress is not always an easy thing to relieve so a dentist will design for you a Night Guard to cushion the teeth when you're grinding. This prevents the wearing away of tooth enamel and lessens the pressure on your mouth and jaw.
If you are experiencing headaches, jaw pain, tooth sensitivity or pain that might be associated with bruxism, call us to schedule an evaluation!
215.567.4949
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