Not every problem that threatens your oral health stems from excessive oral bacteria buildup. Therefore, not every problem can be prevented by simply keeping your teeth and gums consistently clean. For example, for many patients, one or more underlying dental issues can contribute to functional issues with their bite, such as chronic, subconscious teeth-grinding. Also known as bruxism, chronic teeth-grinding can become a serious threat to the health and integrity of your teeth, as well as many other aspects of your oral health and bite function. Fortunately, we may be able to help you solve your teeth-grinding problem with the help of customized dental treatment.

You do it way more often than usual

On its own, teeth-grinding doesn’t necessarily mean that you have bruxism, or that you need professional dental treatment to protect your teeth. However, if you notice yourself doing it way more often than usual, then it may be a symptom of something to be concerned about. When you have bruxism, you may not realize every time that you grind your teeth. The times that you do notice it may only be a fraction of the actual amount of time you spend grinding your teeth together. For many patients, it most often occurs at night, which can exacerbate the damage that it can do to your tooth structure.

How to know it’s become a problem

If you aren’t sure whether your teeth-grinding habit is a problem, then pay close attention to other aspects of your oral health that might help serve as a warning. For example, some of the more common symptoms of bruxism, besides teeth-grinding, can also include:

• Increasingly more sensitive teeth – Your teeth are strong, but their main structures are sensitive. Grinding your teeth incessantly can wear away the highly resilient tooth enamel that protects them, making them increasingly more sensitive to irritants like food and beverages.
• Difficulty biting and chewing – When your bite is overactive and functions even when you don’t intend it to, it can tax your oral structures to make biting and chewing your food more difficult. This can increase the more you grind your teeth and wear down their chewing surfaces.
• You have chronic pains elsewhere – Your teeth, jaws, and oral structures are intricately connected, and the stress from chronic bruxism can impact them all. If you experience jaw pain, facial discomfort, headaches and/or migraines, then they may also be symptoms that your teeth-grinding has become a problem.

Treat your teeth-grinding problem

If you grind your teeth more often than normal and experience any of these symptoms, then you may have a bruxism problem that we can help you address. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling MMC Dental in Houston, TX, today at (713) 926-8896.