Asian woman sleeping on the bed and grinding teeth,Female bruxismTaking care of your smile is an essential practice to maintain, and your oral health is affected by much more than you might expect. Indeed, your grin is constantly facing the threat of oral bacteria, germs, infection, and disease, and unfortunately, you do not have much in terms of natural defense. As such, it is important to maintain a thorough preventive routine to keep these threats at bay. Still, this practice only considers traditional concerns, and it is important to recognize the impact of nontraditional matters. In today’s blog, your Cedar Rapids, IA dentist will look at the impact grinding your teeth has on your health and practices you can use to help.

What is Bruxism?

When thinking about the various oral health threats out there, the first one to typically come to mind is tooth decay. You see, tooth decay is very common, affecting millions of individuals in the United States every year. What’s more? In many cases, an individual may not even know there is an issue initially, but over time, it will become significantly more apparent.

Though tooth decay may be the most common concern out there, it is far from the only one. Indeed, nontraditional dental concerns can range in type and severity. Among these include sleep apnea, dental emergencies, and bruxism, the last of which is the discussion of today’s blog.

You see, bruxism is a phenomenon that occurs when a person tightly clenches his or her teeth together and moves the lower jaw from side to side. Not only does this process create friction between your structures, but it can lead to major health concerns without effective treatment to prevent it. For more information about this process, give our team a call today.

Major Signs and Symptoms

Although it may be difficult to determine if you are affected by teeth grinding while you slumber, there are a few telltale signs that you can be on the lookout for. For example, difficulty opening your mouth completely can be indicative of tension, while a sore jaw can result due to friction. Most importantly, your oral function will become affected, making many processes more of a chore than they need to be. Give our team a call today to learn more about major signs and symptoms.

Additional Things to Know

Unlike a stomach ache or headache, dental concerns only get worse with time. When it comes to chronic teeth grinding, the biggest issue to arise is the development of a dangerous jaw dysfunction known as TMJ Disorder. With early intervention, however, this phenomenon can be avoided.

Schedule Your Appointment

To learn more about the dangers of untreated bruxism and how you can provide better overall protection for your smile, contact Cedar Dental in Cedar Rapids, IA by calling 319-364-7108 and schedule your next appointment with our team today.