Our Toluca Lake dentist office has had more and more patients coming in with the same, seemingly vague, symptoms. Patients tell our dental team that their teeth sometimes feel sore, and that their jaw muscles are stiff. Many times patients wake up with these symptoms, but the stiffness and pain lifts throughout the day. These patients are often shocked to find out that they’re actually suffering from a very common, chronic condition called bruxism.
Bruxism is quite common among adult patients, but it often goes undiagnosed because patients don’t realize that it’s important enough to bring up to their dentists. The truth is that bruxism, if left untreated can really damage your smile. So if you think that this description sounds like you, seek treatment!
Patients with bruxism grind and clench their teeth habitually. This may be because they’re feeling stressed, or because they have an uneven back bite surface. Patients may grind their teeth during the day or as they sleep at night. As you’d imagine, this habit puts a lot of pressure on your back teeth and jaw.
So our patients were noticing that their teeth and jaws felt sore, because they were clenching their teeth tightly together at night. What else was bruxism doing to their smiles? Well for one thing, bruxism was degrading the strength of their dental enamel. Tooth to tooth contact will weaken your enamel and could cause your teeth to crack or chip. Bruxism can also strain your jaw muscles and lead to future TMJ and jaw problems.
As you can see, bruxism is actually a pretty serious condition that demands effective treatment. The good news is that there are treatments that will help you avoid long-term pain and dental damage due to bruxism. If you think you’re suffering from bruxism, don’t hesitate to call us—you can schedule your own consultation with our Toluca Lake dentist!