Bruxism often causes wear and diminishing dental enamel, which leads to tooth sensitivity. Extreme bruxism can also cause fractures, cracks, and chips. Because the brain is not conscious at this time, it has no control over the process. This means that the force the jaw exerts can be three, to as much as ten times the force as it does when chewing. When eating, our teeth are also slightly protected by the food between the teeth, as well. The teeth are not strong enough to handle this much force.
There are also other symptoms, other than damage to the teeth. These include headaches, specifically in the morning, sore jaw muscles, and pain on the sides of the face. Common causes include stress, anxiety, and misalignment. Smoking, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders often coincide with bruxism. Our expert in tooth grinding in Houston will likely recommend a mouth guard to use at night to protect the teeth from damage.
Visit our Houston dentist as soon as possible if you are showing signs of bruxism.