Bruxism is hard to discover compared to other dental health disorders. Reason being, that the symptoms of bruxism are similar to various other diseases. Individuals engage in grinding their teeth continuously because of various reasons. Stress, depression, excessive caffeine intake, anger, competitive personality, consumption of alcohol, smoking, etc.
People often confuse these symptoms as stress coping mechanisms and take them lightly, not making a big deal out of it. Although it does act like a coping mechanism, the harmful effects of bruxism are dangerous and need to be taken seriously. In order to seek treatment early, and prevent ourselves, we need to be aware of its effects. Let's study them together:
- Continuously grinding your teeth together will cause friction between them and result in cracked or broken teeth.
- The layer of enamel on the teeth will also wear out with time, causing gum diseases and tooth loss.
- Because of the constant jaw movement, risk of developing temporomandibular joint disorder is also high.
- Chronic headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, pain in ears and shoulders are also regular in bruxism.
- Damage to the tooth can cause tooth and bone loss.
- In severe cases, individuals also require jaw hinge replacement procedures.
- Facial pain is another consequence of bruxism.
As you can see, the harm of bruxism is extremely serious. In order to protect ourselves, we are supposed to follow the 4 Must-Haves of Oral Care. Power brushing with the best electric brush, flossing regularly with an electric flosser, tongue scraping and gum massaging are steps to take to prevent bruxism. Your teeth deserve the premium care too, so do not hold back and start taking all the necessary steps required. After all, a healthy mouth is the key to a healthy body.
