What steps do you take each day to protect your teeth? Making healthy choices at mealtime and reducing sugar intake helps you prevent decay. By brushing twice per day, you also remove oral bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease. But what can you do for an oral threat that happens when you are not awake? If you exhibit a nightly teeth-grinding habit, you may be completely unaware of what is going on in its early stages. Oftentimes, people with this problem may only find out once real wear and tear has worn their smile. Known as bruxism, regular teeth grinding can bring your teeth out of alignment and cause a host of other complications that come with losing the protection of your outer enamel layer. As the problem persists, you may see an increase in decay and lose out on quality sleep as you wake with sore facial muscles.
To help you get your grinding under control, your Prairie Village, KS dentist is here to help. At each cleaning and examination, we will inspect your mouth to detect oral problems such as significant wear upon your teeth. If we suspect a nightly clenching problem, we can provide a custom oral guard that protects your teeth while you sleep. This intervention appliance separates each row of teeth from touching one another to provide relief from your problem.
Detecting Your Bruxism Habit
Knowing that you need treatment can be tricky in the first place if you are unaware of the damage that happens when you go to sleep. If you suspect a grinding problem, consider asking a loved one to observe you after you go to bed. They can let you know if you gnash your teeth or if they hear the wear of your teeth rubbing together. Besides surface damage, another symptom you may notice when awake is pain throughout your face and jaw. When your jaw is harshly applying the force of its bite at night, you may wake up feeling quite sore. Sensitive teeth and severe headaches could result, so let us know about any associated symptoms.
Improving Your Smile After Wear
In addition to offering an oral guard to stop your habit, we can discuss solutions to repair your worn-down teeth. Porcelain veneers can return height to your smile while covering cracks, chips, and discoloration on the surface. Another option is dental bonding for building back volume in your tooth.
Speak With Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist About Treating Your Teeth Grinding Habit
While bruxism can be difficult to detect at first, treatment to halt it in its tracks is available. Wearing an oral guard while you sleep can prevent your teeth from touching and wearing the enamel. For more information about treating this problem, please contact your Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office at 913-901-8585.
