Teeth grinding is a serious oral health challenge that affects a large and widespread population of Americans. The challenge with teeth grinding, otherwise known as bruxism, is that if not treated, it can lead to other more serious health problems, down the road. One of the difficulties that many patients who grind their teeth experience is that they do it unconsciously and therefore are often unaware of the habit until painful symptoms such as grinding teeth headaches and jaw pain set in.
Bruxism: the medical term used to describe conscious or unconscious clenching and grinding of the jaw.
Luckily, Dr. Alex is an expert in neuromuscular dentistry and can help alleviate and prevent painful symptoms of bruxism. If you are experiencing regular headaches from grinding your teeth, jaw pain, sore gums, neck or shoulder pain, you may be grinding your teeth. Luckily, you can get a FREE virtual consult from Dr. Alex by sending in a picture of your smile and a list of symptoms through our Smile Virtual Program!
How to relieve uncomfortable and painful symptoms of teeth grinding?
There are a number of different treatments that can be used to treat teeth grinding and each treatment is unique to the patient and their needs. You can relieve pain caused by bruxism with a few simple home remedies such as a hot towel compress, icing the jaw, consuming more magnesium, reducing your stress, massaging your jaw, and drinking turmeric milk. All of these treatments can offer temporary relief; however, if you are looking for long-term or permanent relief it is important to spark to and seek help from your dentist. These are some of the treatments we employ for teeth grinding!
Custom Mouthguard
A custom mouthguard can be worn 24hrs hours a day or specifically when you are sleeping to help prevent jaw clenching and teeth grinding. The mouthguard will protect your mouth and help move it into a proper neuromuscular position to help prevent and alleviate painful symptoms from grinding your teeth.
Crowns
Crowns can be very beneficial if you are experiencing symptoms of grinding and TMJ because not only will they help alleviate the painful symptoms of bruxism but they can also help restore the teeth that have been ground down and reposition the teeth to a proper neuromuscular position.
Orthodontics
Dr. Alex’s orthodontics treatments focus on how the jaw and mouth should function; braces and other orthodontic treatments will help move the teeth and adjust the bone structure into a more comfortable position, preventing grinding and alleviating pain!
