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Grinding your teeth


Does waking up in the morning with a headache, sore teeth and jaw sound familiar? All of these symptoms can occur from grinding your teeth or more formally called bruxism that can occur at any age. Grinding your teeth can not only occur while you sleep but also when you’re awake. Daytime bruxism usually happens when lifting heavy objects, driving, reading or in some task that requires deep concentration.

The most common symptom from bruxism is headaches, but symptoms such as ear pain, stiff neck and sleep disorders can often occur. The teeth can also be severely affected causing them to fracture. Stress is one of the main causes of grinding your teeth but caffeine, smoking, anxiety and heavy amounts of alcohol can also cause individuals to grind their teeth.

The best way to prevent damage to your teeth is to wear an occlusal appliance. This appliance can be custom made to fit over your bottom and top teeth and, if worn at night, can reduce jaw muscle pain. Also, if stress and anxiety are the main causes to your teeth grinding, behavioral relaxation techniques can be a helpful way to help reduce your stress. When we have patients with these issues, we will often refer them to Dr. Jen Alonso, a local psychologist who works with us to make dental patients more comfortable.


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