Taking the Bite out of Teeth Grinding

Teeth Grinding

You may be a tooth grinder! Have you ever wondered why you often wake up in the morning with a sore mouth or jaw? Have you ever been told by a friend that you grind your gnashers in your sleep? If this has happened to you, you may have bruxism, or in other words, you tooth grind!

A person can grind his or her molars during the day but generally most people do it while they are sleeping. Most people are totally unaware of the fact that this happens during slumber. Even children can be tooth grinders.

It is not known for sure why people do this but most dentists agree that it has something to do with a person�s bite. A person�s bite is described as how the top and bottom molars fit together. Surprisingly, people experiencing stress may be tooth grinders. The body can react to various stress causing factors by grinding the teeth.

It is not uncommon for most people to tooth grind at some time or another in their lifetime. Most often, this grinding does not cause any pain or damage. It can be terribly irritating to anyone trying to share night-time space with someone who does, though!

In some cases, the continuous grinding can wear down tooth enamel and cause jaw problems. Tooth grinding may also cause chipped enamel, flattened,grooved,loosened h or a cracked tooth. If the grinding the is not stopped, there can be pain in the jaw as well. If you are experiencing a sore jaw, sore face or headaches, talk to your dentist.

Tooth grinding can most often be solved by wearing a night guard. A night guard is made from impressions of your upper and lower teeth. It is a thin piece of hard plastic. The night guard is hard enough to withstand the constant grinding but soft enough to protect teeth from the grinding motion.

The major goal of the night guard is to stop the grinding. People who do not stop grinding often end up with extensive, costly dental needs. It may take a few nights to get used to the night guard but the adjustment will be well worth any temporary inconvenience.