Stop Grinding Your Teeth in Park Ridge

Posted by & filed under Patient Education, TMJ Disorder/Bruxism.

woman relievedYour teeth are the strongest part of your body when they’re healthy, but to remain so, they need diligent care and maintenance that extends beyond merely brushing and flossing your teeth every day. A good oral hygiene routine requires a few moments out of every day, and what you do for the rest of your day outside of that routine can have a significant impact on your dental health. Park Ridge implant dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas, explore habitual teeth-grinding, which many patients don’t even realize they partake in, and offer a few tips to help stop the habit from destroying your smile.

Defining Bruxism

Grinding your teeth now and then is hardly considered a condition. However, engaging in it as a habit is clinically referred to as bruxism, and can endanger the integrity of your smile. While experts haven’t identified a specific trigger for bruxism, common causes include excessive stress (which can incite muscle tension), crooked teeth, an imbalanced bite, and TMJ disorder, amongst others. If allowed to continue, the excessive pressure of constant grinding can wear away and damage the structures of your teeth.

How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth

  • Most cases of bruxism occur at night, when you’re asleep and can’t consciously stop it. To protect your teeth, Dr. Loukas may recommend a custom-designed mouthguard to wear in your sleep that fits over your teeth to prevent them from grinding together.
  • If you notice yourself grinding your teeth during the day and find it difficult to stop, try placing the tip of your tongue between your front teeth. Your teeth should instinctively refrain from clamping down.
  • In most cases, treating bruxism means resolving the underlying issue. Finding ways to relieve stress, correcting a misaligned bite, or treating TMJ disorder can often help you stop grinding your teeth.

Stop Grinding Your Teeth with Help from Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists

To learn more about how to stop grinding your teeth, seek the expertise of your Park Ridge implant dentists today. You can schedule an appointment by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919. Located in the 60068 area, we proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.