7 Facts About Teeth Grinding That Will Shock You

7 Facts About Teeth Grinding That Will Shock You : Many people have a condition called bruxism, more commonly known as teeth grinding. There are lots of issues that can cause the onset of this bad habit. Some of which are controllable and others that may be completely unknown to the person who has developed the habit. Whether the grinding is purposeful or unawares, the habit can lead to some adverse health issues if it is not remedied.

Suppose any of the following experiences sound familiar. In that case, you may want to ask yourself, “Where is the Best Dentist Near Me?” and get started on breaking the habit.

Some people may grind their teeth while they sleep. Because it is happening during sleep, they may be unaware that it is happening. The symptoms are waking in the morning with a headache and a sore jaw. Regular dental checkups should help determine if this is the case, as the results will eventually become noticeable.
Teeth grinding is not uncommon. About 1 in 10 people already have a habit of grinding their teeth. Some take the form of making the chewing motion, and others are clenching the jaw, resulting in sustained pressure on the teeth. Most people will do one or the other during a season of their life, most commonly in adulthood, due to stress, anger, anxiety, or extreme concentration.
Young children, those between the stages of the eruption of milk teeth through their adult teeth’ appearance, grind their teeth at an estimated 2 in 10 young children. Theories include the possibility of the child growing accustomed to the new teeth and playing with them or that the body does this instinctively to help align the gradually increasing number of teeth.
For much the same reason, an adult who experiences a tooth extraction may also develop a habit of grinding their teeth. With every new tooth or loss of a tooth, there is potential for the bite formation to change slightly, resulting in teeth connecting during chewing that did not before.
Studies attribute up to 70% of bruxism sufferers with stress-induced teeth grinding. The body tends to hold or release stress in various ways, such as tensing of the muscles in their back or neck when they are experiencing stress. Some people carry the stress in their jaws.
The consequence of teeth grinding or jaw clenching affects both the teeth and the jaw muscles and ligaments. Both can, over time, have negative results on the health of the bruxer. Grinding can wear away the surface of the teeth, the protective enamel. Once that happens, the degradation continues more quickly. For the jaw clenchers, the perpetual over-pressure can cause pain and eventually lead to popping or clicking when opening or closing the mouth, making it harder and more uncomfortable to eat.
Use of tobacco, alcohol, or recreational drugs can inspire grinding or jaw clenching. This is also the case for many prescribed mental health prescriptions as all of these substances excite the nervous system and trigger teeth grinding.

There are many options available to assist in preventing teeth grinding or jaw clenching. They include wearing a nightguard in the mouth, medications that promote muscle relaxation, Botox injections, or realigning teeth to minimize contact. But the number one thing that can be done to reduce the habit is to reduce stress. Whether that comes in eliminating unnecessary stress from the daily experience or developing methods to cope with the stress, the bruxer’s impact is fewer symptoms. It won’t only be the jaw and teeth that benefit from the stress reduction with less stress.