The act of gnashing and grinding of teeth, commonly referred to as bruxism in the medical field is both uncomfortable and dangerous to your oral health and overall well-being. There have been several reports that it is a severe medical condition that often requires immediate treatment. You might not know how dangerous this medical condition is until you have it or see someone who does.
Grinding of teeth often begins as a mere act. From there, it is likely to become a habit if one fails to stop it at its early stage. Once it becomes a habit, it becomes tough to stop. Contrarily, it can also be a medical issue. It is pretty common in adults, although young people can have it too.
Grinding of teeth can happen at any time of the day. It can occur while sitting on the sofa in your sitting room, standing under a shelter or perhaps, taking a walk across the street, or while asleep. While you are in a deep sleep, you might be gnashing your teeth without knowing.
This unhealthy practice has a lot of side effects. And by side effects, it means they aren’t positive but negative. Here are some of the consequences of grinding your teeth:
1. Tooth Damage
Grinding your teeth can cause some cracks on your teeth, which is very bad for your oral health. Tooth damage remains one of the leading consequences of teeth grinding. Continuous grinding of teeth will make the teeth tear and wear out. The wear and tear begin from the tooth enamel before crossing to other parts. Your teeth become insensitive and lose height drastically.
Also, continuous pressure while grinding teeth can cause the teeth to loosen, become fractured, and chipped.
2. Jaw Disorders
Grinding of teeth can cause a medical condition referred to as TMD (temporomandibular disorder). This medical condition is caused by the dissociation of the muscles and joints which make up the jaw. The way you talk, swallow, and chew foods will be affected when you develop TMD. The movement of your shoulders, neck, and face will also be affected.
3. Recession of Gum
Your gum’s function is to house the tooth. If the teeth are badly affected by teeth grinding, the gum will begin to recede, which could also cause teeth sensitivity. The holes created when the teeth become loosen due to constant grinding, accommodate bacteria which makes the gum recede from the teeth.
One thing that is inevitable with teeth grinding is severe pain. The pains travel from your teeth to your mouth, then to your jaw, and finally to your face. Not only does teeth grinding affect your teeth, but the muscles and joints in the face are greatly affected.
You are also likely to suffer earaches, facial pains, jaw pains, jaw stiffness, and several other issues.
You should have perceived this was coming. The tensions and pressures associated with teeth grinding can cause severe migraine.
If you don’t want to suffer these consequences and several others that couldn’t be cited here, you should take some action now. Put a call across or perhaps fill our contact form to access a reliable and certified dentist.