It may be a common thing to ignore teeth grinding, but any dentist Reston VA will tell you that you shouldn’t do it. It’s something that doesn’t accumulate much damage in the first few times that you do it, but these damages pile on top of each other later on. There are a lot of health issues that can arise with teeth grinding when left untreated.
What is Teeth Grinding?
Teeth grinding (bruxism) is when you’re unaware that you’re clenching and gnashing your teeth together. This is more common for people who are asleep which makes it even more noticeable unless you sleep with other people around you to point it out. However, it can still occur in people who are doing rigorous physical activities.
Physical activities that make you strain will indirectly make you mash your teeth together, so knowing when you’re teeth grinding is important. The first time that you notice that you’ve been grinding your teeth, you should make sure that you keep track of any other time that you do it as well. If you believe that it happens very often, don’t ignore it.
- It can lead to permanent damage
Not only can teeth grinding leave permanent damage to your teeth, but it can also alter the structure of your jaw. The more that you excessively grind your teeth together, the more pressure that you’re putting on your jaw. This can lead to an immense amount of pain when your jaw slips into an unnatural position.
- It can lead to dull headaches
Most people that don’t notice that they grind their teeth only find out when they get themselves checked due to dull headaches. When you grind your teeth together, the pressure that you’re putting on your jaw can sometimes direct the force to the top of your head. Headaches can affect a lot of aspects of your life.
- It can injure your tongue
Any dentist Reston VA will tell you that teeth grinding can injure your tongue in a serious way. You may think that you only grind your tongue when there’s nothing in the middle, but anyone who has a mouth guard to protect their teeth during their sleep will know just how much they grind their teeth while unaware of it. Imagine if it’s your tongue instead.
- It can be sleep apnea
An uncommon way of treating sleep apnea is talking to a dentist. There are many ways for you to treat to sleep apnea in a less invasive manner as long as you ask your physician if it’s possible to do it. When you grind your teeth, make sure that you also do the necessary tests to find out if you have sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea comes with a variety of other health issues that can be incredibly detrimental to your quality of life. Not having the sufficient air when you sleep can leave you feeling as if you haven’t slept the night before even if you had a full night’s sleep.
At Reston Dental Care, we provide a wide range of services that help bring back the perfect smile in our patients. If you need a dentist Reston VA, contact us today!
