Are You Grinding Your Teeth a Little Too Much?

Grinding your teeth every once in a while isn’t usually something to be concerned about. When healthy, your teeth are highly resilient, and the pressure may not cause any damage. However, when you grind your teeth too much (known as bruxism), the result can be a wide range of issues including damage to your teeth, heightened sensitivity, and increased risks of several other concerns. If you’re grinding your teeth too much, then we may be able to customize a protective oral appliance at our Ankeny, IA, dental office to help you protect your smile from the consequences.

Ask Yourself This

Are your teeth sensitive when you wake up?

Many patients who experience bruxism grind their teeth most often at night, which is one reason why detecting and treating the condition can sometimes be difficult. If your teeth feel sensitive when you wake up in the morning, or at any other part of the day, then the enamel around them may be growing weaker due to the friction from bruxism.

Do your jaw muscles feel sore?

The constant pressure from grinding your teeth can also place an enormous strain on your jaw muscles and joints. This strain can make your jaw muscles sore and can cause damage to the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) that help them move. Known as TMJ disorder, this discomfort can make your teeth-grinding worse as your jaw has to struggle to function properly.

Does your bite feel different?

Besides sensitive teeth and sore jaws, bruxism can also wear down your tooth structure the longer it goes on. This can make your bite feel “off” or somehow different every time you bite and chew because your teeth no longer meet each other squarely and evenly. This imbalance makes your condition worse, and can lead to more severely damaged teeth if your bruxism continues.

Learn how to stop grinding your teeth

If you grind your teeth a little too often during the day, and a lot at night, then you might be suffering from bruxism. To learn how we can help you stop grinding your teeth, schedule an appointment by calling Peddicord Family Dentistry in Ankeny, IA, today at (515) 963-3339. We also proudly serve patients of all ages who live in Bondurant, Polk City, Elkhart, Alleman, Cambridge, and all surrounding communities.