Teeth Grinding - Your Dentistree Mornington

You may or may not notice that teeth grinding or clenching happens to you during the day or the night. When left untreated, the damage may progress irreversibly. 

Teeth grinding and clenching (known as bruxism) has dramatically increased during these times, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic stress. Our principal dentist Dr Slav recently made an appearance on 9 News to describe the “huge number of people needing implants because they broke their teeth to a huge extent”. 

Causes

• Stress, concentration or anxiety
• Lifestyle choices such as drinking, smoking, caffeine
• Health conditions such as depression and sleep disorders
• Sleep apnea

Symptoms

Some may not experience any symptoms of bruxism and some may find out when their partner notices a grinding sound in your mouth when you’re asleep. People may experience the symptoms of bruxism at different extents including:

• Headache, tender teeth or jaw joints when waking up
• Snoring
• Popping, clicking or crunchy sounds of the jaw joints
• Stiffness or pain in the face and facial muscles
• Ribbon-like or ‘scalloped’ borders around the tongue
• Tooth wear 
• Chipped, cracked or broken teeth

Your Dentistree Mornington sees many parents report that their child is grinding their teeth at night. Although it may be due to rapid oral growth and development, a consultation with a dental expert will ascertain that there are no underlying issues.  

Treatment Options

A comprehensive examination of your facial muscles and teeth is the best way to ascertain if bruxism is affecting you. The treatment will depend on the severity of your bruxism and dental damage. Your dentist may recommend lifestyle changes, behavioural intervention or relaxation strategies to control the movement of the muscles and prevent further tooth wear. A common solution for night-time bruxism is the use of a night guard to help separate the teeth and place the jaw in its most relaxed position. Your Dentistree Mornington provides in-house anti-wrinkle treatment to help many overcome jaw clenching pain. If the grinding is accompanied by snoring then an appliance can be made to stop the snoring and treat potential sleep apnea. 

We encourage regular dental check ups to monitor for any early or progressing signs of bruxism or tooth wear. This gives you the best chance for early intervention preventing more costly or complicated treatment down the track!

Teeth Grinding Treatment Melbourne with Your Dentistree Mornington

Book an appointment at Your Dentistree Mornington to share your concerns, circumstances and expectations. Together with the latest techniques, equipment and technology, our goal is to guarantee a pleasant and seamless dental journey. We are excited to discuss the treatment options with you and help empower you to live your life with a healthy smile and pain-free mouth.