With quarantines, stay at home orders, and people finding themselves furloughed or trying to homeschool their kids, stress is at an all-time high. However, stress is also linked to a serious oral health issue known as bruxism. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists are talking about how to safeguard your smile, and what our team can do to address the issue once we’re able to open our doors!
Stress and Teeth Grinding
Bruxism means you grind your teeth on a regular basis, almost nightly for some people. Factors behind the issue vary, and could include tooth loss, misalignment, TMJ disorder, bite imbalance, or injury to the face or jaw. However, stress is a major factor in this disorder. If you have high levels of anxiety, and begin to experience the warning signs, please let us know. Common symptoms of bruxism include soreness in the face or jaw, aches in the neck and shoulders, tooth sensitivity and toothaches, and headaches and migraines.
Protecting Your Smile
If you encounter the symptoms above, we can talk to you on the phone about possible solutions, until we can see you again in our office. To help alleviate this disorder, we suggest trying to find ways to lower anxiety in your life. Setting a schedule for your day could help you manage your new tasks, and breathing exercises and simple work-out routines could also help ease stress. We suggest avoiding caffeinated products or hard/chewy foods, as these could exacerbate the symptoms. A warm compress or washcloth against the side of your face could also help relieve tension.
Our Treatment Options
When we can see you again, we may address the issue with an oral appliance. After taking detailed impressions of your smile, we design and create a device that looks and is like a mouthguard. The device is worn at night as you sleep, and helps reposition your jaw to ease tension, and also provides barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage. Untreated bruxism is linked to worn down enamel, and even cracked or chipped teeth, altering your smile’s appearance and increasing the risk of issues like tooth decay and dental infection. If you have any questions about anxiety and teeth grinding, or if you have a dental emergency that requires immediate attention, then contact our team today.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX ABOUT TEETH GRINDING
At Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, our team would like to make sure you’re aware of common oral health issues. To learn more about safeguarding smiles from home or about our approach to treating dental emergencies, then contact your El Paso, TX, dentists at Sunny Smiles on Dyer Street by calling 915-859-7000.