What are the Main Causes of Teeth Grinding?
Providence Prosthodontics Dental Group
What are the Main Causes of Teeth Grinding?
Most people occasionally clench or grind their teeth (medically known as Bruxism) due to stress, but extensive teeth grinding or clenching can have major effects on your dental health. We have comprehensive teeth grinding treatment plans if you experience these symptoms.
But what causes a pattern of teeth grinding?
Stress
The number one cause of teeth grinding is severe stress and anxiety. When dealing with high stress, people tend to clench their jaws or grind their teeth without realizing it as a way of coping. This commonly occurs while driving in a precarious situation, or similar situations. People with this issue tend to experience stress during sleep also so they end up putting their jaw muscles in an over-active mode of mastication.
Medical Conditions and Medications
Teeth grinding can also be a side-effect of certain medications. It is most common among someone who uses antidepressants, antipsychotic and psychotic drugs. If you find yourself having this issue, ask your doctor about what your options are before you cause irreversible damage to your teeth.
Issues with Sleep
If you have any sleep issues or sleep disorders, it can be related to teeth grinding also. Someone who doesn’t sleep well can become more prone to developing this habit.
Lifestyle
Excessive smoking, drinking a lot of caffeinated drinks, alcoholism, and the use of recreational drugs can also create a habit of teeth grinding or clenching.
Bite Misalignment and Malocclusion
When a person loses a tooth or few of them, some changes occur in the bite and mouth. Other teeth migrate toward this empty space in the mouth and causes bite misalignments. Because of that, joints of the jaw loses its control of the movements and it is believed that it causes teeth grinding. Or the constant moving of your jaw, as your tongue feels the new changes can mimic teeth grinding and cause dental health issues such as an inflamed jaw.
Other Medical Conditions
If you suffer from Dementia, Parkinson Syndrome, Mental Diseases, Epilepsy, Sleep Apnea, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, there is a high possibility that you will suffer from teeth grinding also.
If Bruxism is left untreated
With time, if the teeth grinding is left untreated, it can result in tooth loss, teeth loosening, and fracturing. You will also experience pain or inflammation. Teeth can also wear down and lose their vertical height, so you might require additional restorations like dentures, crowns, bridges or dental implants. Moreover, it can cause TMJ/TMD. In that case, some changes in your face might appear also. What is more, it is not unusual that you will experience severe jaw and facial pain and have tension-type headaches.
Getting to know the root of the problem allows you to get better results in eliminating the problem. Visit us at Providence Prosthodontics Dental Group to get your consultation with our highly-qualified specialists, who will help you to get rid of this teeth-damaging habit using various methods and techniques. Call us: (714) 759-2169.