Thursday, January 22, 2009

How To Stop Grinding Your Teeth Quickly

By Chris Channing

Grinding one's teeth at night is more common than most would think- although it should be temporary at best. Called Bruxism, a long term habit of doing this will wear down teeth to the point where operations will have to be made to save them. To avoid such troubles, there are some tips to follow.

Teeth grinding is said to be caused by several things. Stress and lack of sleep are most commonly states as a factor, although things such as alcohol or drug consumption can help aid in the act. Foods or drinks that may contain caffeine should be avoided before bedtime, as they have been known to help cause this strange affliction. Clenching one's teeth in general is seen as a bad habit, and should be avoided.

Much of teeth grinding cases are done while one is sleeping, so it's hard to tell if one even has a problem with it. The early warning signs are a constant low, dull, headache. This may also come with tenderness of the jaw, tooth pain, or bleeding. In each case, there is likely to be some type of damage already done to the teeth, and reconstructive work may be in order to fix it.

The good news is that teeth grinding can be prevented by using a special night guard. Night guards are usually only for serious cases, as most can be prevented through stress control and proper dieting and sleeping habits. Regardless, night guards are generally inexpensive and obtaining them just to be sure the problem is long gone is a good idea.

Children who are showing signs of teeth grinding are usually within their norm. Children who are having new sets of teeth come in will start grinding them out of habit. This should stop completely after the permanent teeth have all arrived, and if it hasn't, proper dental care should be sought out. Just like adults, children can suffer from stress and lack of sleep as well.

Anxiety is the number one cause of teeth grinding, which may be a sign of larger problems at hand. If anxiety is truly a problem, a psychologist or therapist of some sort may be needed to help sort the problems out. High anxiety levels may also be a sign of chemical imbalances, which is easily treated with the right medication. If nothing else works out, try consulting a doctor for more information on anxiety treatments.

Final Thoughts

Weeks or even months of work may be required to become cured of a teeth grinding incident. Because of the lengthy time, one should consult a dentist for information on a night guard and for more tips on how to get around the reasons for teeth grinding in the first place. - 20897

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