There are a variety of reasons that someone may be grinding their teeth including:

Any of these various conditions can cause someone to involuntarily grind their teeth, which can create a variety of other oral health problems and other issues surrounding the mouth.

The TMJ is Temporomandibular Joint which is the area where jaw pain can begin if you are someone who often finds themselves involuntarily grinding their teeth throughout a day. TMJ is not a disease, but a condition that can come with the following symptoms from consistently grinding your teeth:

These symptoms may indicate that you are experiencing TMJ dysfunction. If these problems persist, seeing your dentist for further assistance can allow them to help you solve these issues and get you appropriate treatment for your TMJ condition.

Bruxism is a fancier name for the persistent grinding of the teeth which leads to the TMJ condition. Over time, bruxism can cause a host of other various oral health issues and facial problems, including:

These effects of bruxism may be from grinding your teeth for a short period, but once the wear on teeth takes place, the wear is permanent, and your natural teeth may never get restored to what they once were.

The sooner the treatment is rendered to someone who has bruxism, the less severe the effects on the person’s teeth will be in the long term. It’s essential to treat it as soon as you expect that you might have someTMJ and bruxism behaviors that can damage or ruin your teeth long-term.

There are a variety of different treatments available for TMJ and bruxism-related problems. Many different treatments may be recommended to help keep your teeth from wearing down more rapidly. Some of these self-care practices could include eating softer foods that don’t wear the teeth down as quickly or avoiding certain jaw movements that strain the jaw more such as yelling, screaming, or singing. Avoid chewing gums for long periods as the further jaw movement can make your condition even worse. You also may be able to use ice or heat packs to help relieve extra muscle tightness and pain.

Considering most teeth grinding mostly happens at night, your dentist will likely recommend a special-made mouth guard device that you can wear while you sleep. The mouth guard will allow you to do your bruxism movements and motions while sleeping without harming your teeth, as you will grind on the durable materials of the mouth guard instead.

If you feel that you might be suffering from TMJ and Bruxism, please contact a healthcare professional immediately. The sooner you get assistance with your condition, the sooner you can stop the damage that might get done to your teeth. The less damage that gets done, the easier it is to treat and the fewer long-term side effects you are likely to have to handle.

If these above symptoms describe you, please feel free to reach out to us. At Rosy Dental we are happy to help you if you contact us at 888-308-8478 to schedule your appointment. We will be happy to help provide you with a smile that you are proud to show.