Did you know that God designed your teeth not to come together unless you are eating or  when swallowing?Should they come together when you are not eating or swallowing,then they are bound to get worn out and the result is pain,in the jaw joints and more consequences as the teeth grinding continues.Dentists call this condition Bruxism. It has always been known but without a long-lasting solution,but now there are curative solutions.

 

What is the cause of Bruxism?

Normally we breathe through the nose but some people end up developing mouth breathing which will cause cold air to irritate the back of the throat and  the urge to clench or grind as a way of coping with the throat itch.

Another cause can be change in the way one bites because of new fillings placed during repair of decayed teeth and to cope with the change in the bite then one starts the habit of grinding.

Trauma to the jaw joint resulting from  contact sports like rugby or a fall can also start the habit of tooth grinding.

This habit will wear out teeth and change one’s appearance but also cause headaches,migraines,joint pain and gait when extreme.The tooth grinder experiences tooth sensitivity, which makes it very unbearable to drink hot or cold fluids.

Grinding does not only wear out the chewing surface but also the neck of the tooth.The weakened neck of the tooth can be further worn out by a hard bristled toothbrush and a very destructive brushing technique.

The best way to treat this condition is to deal with the root cause.Your dentist will ask you many questions and examine your teeth and jaws to try and determine the root cause and deal with it.Treating only the symptoms will give you a temporary relief but the discomfort will be back soon.

One of the solutions we offer at Codeclinic is a night guard appliance, that separates the teeth at night,and helps reprogramme the jaw muscles to hold the jaws in a new non-destructive position.There after the worn out teeth can be repaired to bring them back to the original natural look with tooth colored fillings.

Do not ignore those symptoms,they might be warning of you of this destructive disease and when caught early is easier to treat.