Bruxism Related to Stress and Anxiety
Have you been feeling unusual tenderness or discomfort in your jaw, ears, or face? Maybe you have been experiencing frequent and unexplained headaches. If so, you could be experiencing bruxism. Bruxism is a condition in which you grind or clench your teeth and, most of the time, you do it unknowingly. This can occur during the day and while you sleep. Due to the recent pandemic, more patients have been suffering from this condition and, having never experienced it before, are uncertain as to what they are feeling or how to help their symptoms.
Teeth clenching and grinding can be caused by a number of factors, but one of the main reasons is stress and anxiety. It is safe to say that we are all suffering from additional stress and anxiety during this unusual time. Patients who may have never experienced these feelings before are not only dealing with the related emotions for the first time, but also the side effects of grinding and clenching the teeth. Dentists across the country are seeing a record number of cracked, broken, and worn teeth as a result of clenching and grinding.
If bruxism is not addressed, it can result in not only cracked or broken teeth, but can also cause the enamel to become worn, previous dental work to fail, tooth sensitivity, or even tooth loss. During your routine dental examinations, we look for signs of wear on the teeth; however, if you are noticing something unusual, please reach out to our office as soon as possible.
If you are currently experiencing symptoms of bruxism, our recommendation is to wear a nightguard to reduce the sensation of clenching or grinding. We also suggest temporarily eliminating sticky or hard foods that are difficult to chew. It is also beneficial to adjust your sleeping position by adding pillows for additional head and neck support. When you are experiencing discomfort, you can alternate between a hot and cold compress on the troubled area.
If you are dealing with teeth grinding and clenching in Spotswood, NJ, please call our office to schedule an appointment. We are here to help relieve your bruxism symptoms and restore your oral health.
