Do you wake up to a sore jaw or sensitive teeth? Does your partner complain about weird grinding noises they hear coming from you in the middle of the night? You might be grinding your teeth and if you do you might also be clenching your jaw during the day.
Teeth grinding, or bruxism as it’s medically called, can be detrimental to your oral health and to the alignment of your teeth. You probably do it subconsciously during the day or unknowingly while you sleep. Regardless, it can impact on your waking life all the same.
Is it Really That Bad?
Not necessarily. Some mild cases of bruxism might not require treatment but the longer it goes untreated the higher the chance of complications arising that may warrant more serious measures down the road. If you’re suspicious you might be a teeth grinder, consider the following list of symptoms:
- Worn tooth enamel, exposing deeper layers of your tooth. Can result in deep, persistent pain and risk infection.
- Damaged teeth, either chipped, flattened, or loose. These symptoms affect the physical appearance of your teeth and change the look of your smile.
- Tight jaw muscles. Tired from constantly contracting during the night, your muscles may feel tight or tired possibly resulting in a locked jaw.
- Pain or sensitivity. These symptoms are the result of others such as worn enamel, physical damage to the tooth structure, and muscle fatigue.
- Sleep disruption for either you or your partner. The sound of teeth grinding is fairly identifiable and can be quite loud. If either you or your partner are waking up from the noise it could mean a serious case of bruxism.
- Damage to the inside of your cheek from chewing. Grinding your teeth or clenching them during the day can further impact the other tissues inside of your mouth cutting into the flesh of your cheek increasing risk for infection by producing open wounds.
If you notice any of the above symptoms or a combination, seeing an orthodontist such as Dr. Buck might be advisable as teeth grinding is often associated with other disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), sleep apnea, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Call Today
Find out more about bruxism and the complications that can arise from it by calling Dr. Buck and his associates at Balance Epigenetic Orthodontics today at (425) 409-2086 or visit our contact page to schedule an appointment.