Grinding Your Teeth Can Cause Serious Damage

Previously published in Examiner

Part 3 of the teeth grinding series

Most Montrealers complain they do not get enough sleep. Yet, sleep affects are physical and mental health. Not having enough sleep affects our mood, our stamina, our home-life and career, and our social relationships.

Sleep is an important human function which is essential for good physical health and good mental health. Even though sleep is so important many Montrealers take sleeping for granted. They either sleep too much or more often than not, sleep less than is recommended for good health. Montrealers will catnap rather than sleep, burn the midnight oil studying, play on the computer, or just insist that they are too busy too sleep.

Conditions that affect sleep, our health, and mental health include such topics as teeth grinding. Teeth grinding at night is disruptive to the sleeper and his or her partner may remain awake because of the noise as well. A Montreal dentist can help to solve the problem also the University de Montreal and the Montreal General Hospital have excellent programs for the public.

Causes of teeth grinding continued

Chronic teeth grinding

• Chronic bruxism can cause damage to the teeth. Teeth grinding can wear the teeth right down to the stumps. Correcting this damage can be costly. It may require bridges, root canals, crown implants, and dentures.
• Chronic bruxism can result in jaw damage and hearing loss.

Thus, people should be careful and get their teeth grinding condition under control before waiting until serious damage is done to their teeth.

Treatment for bruxism

• Mouth guard to prevent the teeth from grinding
  

• Stress counseling may be offered
• Exercises
• Muscle relaxants
• Avoidance alcohol, and caffeine products such as chocolate, soda, coffee and tea.
• Avoid chewing anything that is not necessary, like gum or pencils etc. These activities only make the jaw muscles more tense and subject to pain.
• Train yourself to stop grinding teeth. You do this by placing the tip of your tongue between your teeth whenever you catch yourself grinding them. This exercise will also relax your jaw
• You can relax the jawbone simply by holding a warm cloth against you cheek upwards to the earlobe.

Sources:

http://www.medicinenet.com/teeth_grinding_bruxism/article.htm