Have you ever woken up with jaw pain or tightness? Do you experience frequent earaches or headaches and you do not know what provoked them? Are your teeth sensitive, flattened or fractured? These are just a few symptoms of tooth grinding and clenching, also known as bruxism.

It is wise to make a dentist appointment if you are experiencing any of these symptoms so you can maintain good dental health. If left untreated, tooth grinding can lead to unnecessary root canals, tooth loss, hearing loss or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ). Whether you are experiencing problems for the first time or you have had symptoms for months, you should make an appointment with the office in Roseville, CA as soon as you recognize them.

What causes tooth grinding?
A couple of the leading causes of bruxism are stress and anxiety. When you suppress these emotions, your body may literally put stress on itself. Your personality type may also play a role. Hyperactive and competitive people are prone to tooth grinding.

However, emotions are not the only culprits of bruxism. Sometimes, there are pre-existing physical conditions that cause this to happen. For instance, people whose upper and lower teeth are abnormally aligned can experience this problem, too. People that drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, smoke tobacco or take illegal drugs such as ecstasy may also grind their teeth.

Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease have also been known to cause complications like bruxism. In rare instances, psychiatric medications such as antidepressants can cause side effects, including tooth grinding.

What can you do to treat bruxism?
If you grind your teeth, the best corrective action you can take is to make an appointment with a dentist in Roseville. Before scheduling your appointment, write down your symptoms. Do you have facial pain, sensitive teeth or headaches? Note how long that you have been experiencing these problems. Also, note any recent life changes like divorce or career change. Write down any medications that you have been taking, including vitamins.

Do not forget to write your own list of questions. Here are some examples:

Are any tests needed?
Is the condition just temporary or will it need treatment for life?
What is causing the teeth grinding?

During your visit, your dentist may recommend or fit you for a mouth guard. He or she may also recommend counseling or physical exercise. You may want to consider removing alcohol, caffeine and chewing gum from your diet. Adding more water to your diet can help, since dehydration has been linked to bruxism.

Also, you can train your jaw muscles to relax by putting the tip of your tongue between your teeth. If your child is a tooth grinder, try to lessen their stress level before bed time. Mention the tooth grinding to their dentist, too, so the dentist can monitor the grinding. With preventative action, you can ease or eliminate the symptoms. By coming to the office in Roseville as soon as you experience pain, you may even avoid unnecessary dental surgery.