Hey! I'm Frankie, and welcome to my dental advice blog. I'm a foodie and I love sweet treats, but I also love my teeth! It can be hard to keep your dental health in top condition when you've got a sweet tooth, but it's not impossible. Over the years, I've learned tons of great advice from friends, family members and dentists, and I'd love to share it with you. My blog is here to give you all the tips and tricks you need to stay free of decay and other tooth problems without giving up all your favourite foods and snacks.
Grinding your teeth can obviously impact your oral health, potentially leading to anything from worn enamel to gum disease. However, the negative effects of grinding your teeth can go beyond your mouth to impact other parts of your body. Even if you don't think you're doing any damage to your mouth, you could be experiencing a wider set of symptoms, and these make it even more vital to discuss tooth grinding treatment options with your dentist.
Here are just four ways tooth grinding can affect other parts of your body.
1. Wider Pain
People who grind their teeth often experience discomfort in parts of their mouth, but that isn't the only area where pain can develop. All the pressure placed on the jaw and surrounding muscles can result in pain across the jaw, face and even shoulders. Earache is a particularly common side effect since the joints that action places so much pressure on sit very close to the ear canals, meaning pain can radiate through that area.
2. Lack of Sleep
Many people who grind their teeth are not even aware of the problem until their dentist examines their teeth and points out the common warning signs. This is because grinding often occurs at night, and this can have the effect of interrupting your sleep as well as negatively affecting your oral health. The added tension can make it harder to stay asleep, so it's relatively common for people who grind their teeth to wake up several times throughout the night, sometimes without even remembering the next morning. Over time, the reduction in sleep quality can impact both your mental and physical health.
3. Temporomandibular Disorders
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a range of issues that affect the temporomandibular joints and associated nerves. When this system of muscles, joints and bones is not able to work together properly, the strain can result in serious issues that may eventually require therapy to correct — in advanced cases, surgery may be required. Since tooth grinding puts added pressure on the temporomandibular joints and surrounding muscles, it's a common cause of TMD.
4. Persistent Headaches
As you clench your teeth together to grind them, it creates a lot of tension throughout the muscles in your head. As such, chronic grinding can often lead to tension headaches and severe migraines. These tend to start out relatively manageable, and then grow worse over time. Unfortunately, persistent headaches often increase stress and cause patients to grind their teeth even more, potentially forming a vicious circle.
Speak to your dentist to learn more.
Share11 April 2023
