How to Stop Grinding Teeth

The Long Term Effects of Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Posted on 26. Feb, 2008 by Ben in Grinding Teeth

My constant night-time grinding of my teeth occasionally annoys me so much that I hop on the Internet to see what I can find about it. Today I did just that, and I discovered something horrific about the long term effects of bruxism. Apparently the incessant grinding of your teeth is so destructive that over the long term, the teeth would be worn down so much so that you’ll soon have your bare jaws touching each other.

The problem with sleep bruxism though, is that it’s just like snoring — oftentimes, you won’t know that you’re doing it. So watch out for dull headaches or sore jaws on waking. Look out also, for flat canine teeth. Your canines are designed to guide tooth movement, with well-defined incisal edges steering the teeth apart. The excessive force associated with bruxing, however, can create distinctively flat canines.

Molars can also bear the brunt of bruxing. The destructive force generated by grinding can wear molar tips down. In some cases, the loss of tooth enamel and dentin can be even more noticeable than that associated with severe decay.

So watch out for any broken or cracked teeth. They can be a source of pain of patients and often require lengthy and costly restoration, such as through corrective cosmetic dentistry. And even if you undergo solid cosmetic dentistry, your bruxing will break down these cosmetic changes if left untreated, because people who had grinding habits before extensive dental care are likely to continue to grind once treatment has completed. So early detection can save you tonnes of money, help to safeguard any future dental restorations, not to mention your overall dental health.

Tags: bruxor, effects, grind teeth, Grinding Teeth, long term bruxism, signs, symptoms, teeth grinding