The nightly grind: It's not a good thing!

It may seem trite to say that the last year has been stressful. The pandemic brought health worries and job insecurities. In addition, we were unable to do many of the activities – meeting friends, going to movies or concerts or sporting events – that work to relieve stress and anxieties.

If we don’t actively let the pressure out, so to speak, the body finds its own ways and one of them can lead to dental problems. And what’s worse, you probably don’t even know you’re doing it.

If you wake up with a headache or a tense or sore jaw, you might be grinding your teeth while you sleep. At Huszti Dental Care – and in dentist’s offices across the country – dentists are seeing an increase in the effects of night teeth grinding, in both adults and children.  Bruxism, as it is called, may be brought to your attention by someone you share a bed with who hears it at night. It can be exacerbated by missing teeth, an abnormal bite or even sleep apnea. In long-term, untreated cases, it can lead to loosening or loss of teeth, or the wearing down of teeth. It can also lead to other, more serious conditions like TMJ and gum recession.

Huszti Dental Care’s hygienists and dentists look for signs of bruxism every time you are in the office, so if you come regularly, they will be able to see it in its early stages. Treatment is easy: You can be fitted with a bite guard you wear at night. It doesn’t stop the grinding, but it does stop its effects.

Reducing stress is, as a general rule, an important part of good health. To reduce stress – and stop teeth grinding and other negative effects it brings – you might want to exercise or find another way to reduce stress during the day. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol in the evenings. Chewing gum regularly throughout the day also makes you more likely to grind teeth, because it conditions your jaw to clench regularly.

And, of course, the easiest way to reduce stress is to smile more! Not only you do reduce your own stress, you reduce the stress of your Milford and Highland neighbors, and you make the world a better place.