Friday, July 10, 2009

Teeth Grinding Can Turn Into A Real Problem

By Wesley Getert

Do you wake up with sore jaw or maybe a headache? If you do, it could be a sign that you are grinding your teeth while you sleep. Many people grind their teeth during their sleep and they don't even know it. Over time, this can cause sever damage to your teeth and it is something that needs to be corrected.

The most likely cause of bruxism is stress. That is what is thought to be the biggest factor when it is noticed that someone is grinding their teeth. Of course, many people suffer from very mild cases of bruxism and never really know about it because it goes undetected.

It might be your dentist that alerts you to the fact that you grind your teeth at night or it could be your spouse. Once you know you are doing it, you will be faced to make a decision about how to proceed. You basically have two options and they are to find a cure to the problem or to get a mouth guard that will protect your teeth. One way fixes the problem and the other way just prevents further damage.

For most people, stress is either the cause or a component of bruxism. That would be the first place to start if you are hoping to find a cure but it is not necessarily the only thing. There have been many people who grind their teeth at night and yet have little stress. This is why curing bruxism is so difficult and is different for each individual. For one person it might be stress related and for another it may not.

If you can find the reason for your stress and eliminate it, you might be able to curb your teeth grinding. If you cant, you are left with getting a mouth guard to wear at night. This will not solve the problem but just help stop the damage your grinding might have on your teeth. Your dentist should be able to fit you with a custom nighttime mouth guard made especially for your teeth. Another course of action is to read some books written on the subject that you will be able to find at the library.

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