MOUTHGUAD FOR TEETH GRINDING – ELITE DENTAL CARE TRACY

Have you seen people grind or clench their teeth when they are angry or under stress?

If it happens only occasionally due to anger or desperation, that’s nothing serious. But some people do it habitually. Either consciously or unconsciously they grind their teeth which leads to a disorder called Bruxism in medical terms. Though it is known as a sleep disorder bruxism can be of two types: grinding of teeth while awake is called awake bruxism, and if the same happens in sleep, it is sleep bruxism.

Generally, it may not seem to be a serious ailment, but this disorder may become a severe one if not paid attention to at an early stage.

What are the causes of teeth grinding or bruxism?

Anxiety
Stress
Anger
Heredity
Side effects of Medications

How do you detect bruxism?

The symptoms of teeth grinding can be alarming and demand an immediate visit to a dentist at times. The symptoms of bruxism may include:

Loud grinding of teeth while asleep
Headache when you wake up in the morning
Tired and sored jaws
Earache
Tooth sensitivity
Disturbed mindset and stress
Deprived sleep

What are the consequences of bruxism?

Bruxism can lead to some major issues like

Worn out enamel and gums
Loose teeth
Broken or fractured teeth
Blunting of the teeth
Sunken jaws and wrinkles around the mouth
Temporomandibular joint disorder

What are the remedies for bruxism?

When you feel that the bruxism is getting severe and uncontrollable, visit the dentist nearby. Your dentist may recommend the use of mouth guards.

Due to this disorder, you will feel like having the food in the mouth, and instigate you to chew the food. But what happens is that you are clenching your teeth and causing damage to enamel and gums. Additionally, the grinding of the teeth may lead to grinding noises that disturb the people around as well as spoiling your sleep.

To solve these issues, the dentist suggests you wear a mouthguard. You would have probably seen the sportspeople, especially the boxers wear mouth guards to protect their jaws and mouth while boxing.

How does a mouth guard help?

When you wear a mouthguard, the upper and lower teeth are separated by a physical barrier. This avoids the upper teeth to exert uneven or heavy pressure on the lower teeth making the teeth and enamel worn out. An even pressure gets exerted which does not lead to any damage.

The grinding noises are also eliminated thereby you and your dear ones are not deprived of sound sleep anymore.
Custom-made mouthguards fit your teeth well and control the grinding habits to a great extent.

Which mouth guard is the best?

There are different types of mouthguards available in the market.

Stock mouth guards: These are the widely used ones. You will find the sportspeople using them and can be found easily in medical stores and sports good stores. They come in different sizes are considered to be budget-friendly. Sometimes people have issues like these mouthguards do not fit tightly.
Boil and bite mouth guards: These are composed of thermoplastic material. It is clear from the name that these mouthguards are to be boiled in hot water to soften them and then placed between the teeth. You bite down on them and adjust with your finger and tongue to attain a proper fit. These are also not so expensive and pocket-friendly ones.
Custom-made mouthguards: These are designed specifically for you, and hence they fit your teeth perfectly. The dentist creates a mold of your teeth and replicates it to a custom made mouthguard. Though these mouthguards fit better than the stock or boil and bite mouth guards, these are little expensive ones. However, they eliminate sleep disorders like snoring and sleep apnea along with grinding of the teeth.

The usage of mouth guards demands some extra care too. Your mouth happens to be a sensitive area, and hence you cannot be careless about it.

When you are inserting an external guard in your mouth, you must ensure that it is clean and germ-free.
Also, brush and floss your teeth before placing the mouth guard.
Store your mouthguard in a clean container with proper ventilation between the uses.

Along with mouth guards, you can try some home remedies for the grinding of teeth. Bruxism can probably be due to stress and anxiety, and it also leads to a disturbed mind and sleep deprivation. Hence, you can practice yoga and meditation for peace of mind and relaxation. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol for better results. Consume foods that are easy to chew and do not exert much pressure on your teeth or jaw. Practice facial exercises to strengthen your jaw muscles.

Whether it is your sleep disorder or the bruxism issues, a mouth guard could be a great aid to solve these issues. Visit our Elite Dental Clinic to get rid of bruxism and related disorders.