Generally, people may clench their teeth unconsciously when they are awake or even when they sleep. Dental professionals say it isn’t necessary to undergo certain treatments to deal with mild teeth grinding. Some other painful symptoms will be experienced in severe cases, like severe, permanent headaches requiring urgent treatments. Those accustomed to grinding their teeth when they sleep may be unaware of the further complications they might experience after a while. Therefore, as a professional dentist in New Westminster points out, all of us must be familiar with the severe symptoms of teeth grinding. Thus, we will know when we should seek urgent dental care. Here are all the essential symptoms and signs that indicate this bad habit negatively affects oral health.
All Adverse Consequences of This Bad Habit
You May Face Dental Cavities: The loss of materials and the outer surface of tooth enamel is one of the most destructive effects of this bad habit. Undoubtedly, when tooth enamel is damaged, your natural teeth become more susceptible to infection and cavities. In case you face any minor to severe dental cavities, you should go for treating it as soon as possible; otherwise, it will lead to severe dental issues, and you may even lose your teeth.
There May Be Crooked & Misaligned Teeth: Believe it or not, this negative habit can lead your teeth to move toward incorrect positions. Therefore, if your straight smile gradually becomes crooked, you should seek help to quit this habit as quickly as possible.
You May Suffer from Excessive Headaches: Aside from all the visible impacts of teeth grinding on the appearance of your smile, it can lead to unbearable pain in your head or jaw. Besides, dental sensitivity to various temperatures will increase in those who unconsciously grind their teeth at night.
You Will Have Short Teeth: As discussed earlier, bruxism can initially destroy the outer layer of the tooth. And in more severe cases, this process can gradually affect the size of your natural teeth.
Your Gums May Recede: Another negative effect of this bad habit can be serious damage to your gums. When your gums are affected by this bad habit, your teeth become loose, and over time, empty spaces are created between your teeth and gums, which can be a perfect place for serious bacteria to grow. And this means you will be more susceptible to all kinds of life-threatening gum diseases.
Treatment Options to Avoid This Awful Habit
All dedicated dental professionals recommend protective night guards to protect natural teeth from severe injuries caused by sleep grinding. But you should consider that visiting your well-trained general dentists is necessary to get the most appropriate mouth guard. This is because the over-the-counter protective night guards cannot fit your mouth properly, and you may feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes, using certain types of medication can lead to this bad habit. Therefore, let your dentists know if you are using any special types of drugs because there may be other alternatives.
