As your cosmetic dentist in Charleston and your periodontal therapy experts, we at Smith Family Dentistry make it our goal to help give all of our patients the healthiest teeth and gums possible. Unfortunately, there are many different bad habits a person can perform which may prevent this goal from happening – some of them you might not even realize that you’re doing. One of these is bruxism, a condition which we’ll be glad to tell you more about.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the medical term that’s used for teeth clenching and grinding. The majority of bruxism is subconscious and actually occurs while a person is asleep. This is also known as sleep bruxism. While many people experience a form of bruxism at certain points of their lives (often while under stress), this condition is generally only harmful when it happens for prolonged periods of time.

Harmful Effects of Bruxism

Bruxism can be problematic because of the large number of side effects it can inflict on a person. Just a sample of some of these harmful effects include:

• Worn-down teeth
• Tooth sensitivity
• Fractured teeth
• Tooth loss
• Inflamed or receding gums
• TMD/TMJ
• Jaw disorders
• Jaw or facial pain
• Headaches
• Earaches
• Sleep disruption

What Can Cause Bruxism?

While there’s no absolute cause of bruxism, there are certain risk factors to developing it. Some of these are:

• Stress or anxiety
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Heavy caffeine consumption
• Sleep disorders
• Periodontal disease

Treating Bruxism with Mouthguards

In some cases, treatment may not even be needed. Some patients (especially children) will outgrow their bruxism without any treatment. Other patients just may not grind their teeth badly enough to the point where treatment is needed. However, in a situation where action needs to be taken, we recommend wearing a biteguard. A biteguard will help keep your teeth protected to avoid any damage that may be caused to your teeth because of bruxism. Biteguards are custom-fit to provide optimal comfort for your mouth.

Contact Your Cosmetic Dentist in Charleston Today!

If you’d like to learn more about bruxism, please feel free to contact us. If you’re looking for dental treatments or periodontal therapy in Charleston, we encourage you to give us a call at (304) 343-9131. We can’t wait to hear from you and help you attain an even healthier smile!