The Dangerous Side Effects of Untreated Bruxism

Bruxism is the term used to describe chronic jaw clenching, teeth grinding, or teeth gnashing. These can occur either while you are awake or asleep and should be treated promptly due to the damage these actions can do to your mouth, jaw, and teeth. Those suffering from bruxism in the Calgary, Alberta, area can visit Dr. Palka and the Lake Chaparral Dental Care team. Dr. Palka can work with you and recommend a teeth guard you can wear while sleeping to protect your teeth during nighttime. Let’s take a quick look at what bruxism is and some of the damaging side effects brought on by bruxism.

Bruxism – An Overview

Bruxism can impact people of any age. When people think of bruxism, it can often be thought of as something which occurs only when sleeping, but it can also occur when you are awake. You may be clenching your jaw in stressful situations or grinding your teeth without realizing it. These actions can also occur while sleeping when you have no conscious control. You may not even know you suffer from bruxism until some form of damage occurs to your teeth, mouth, or jaw. Built-up stress and tension from the day are one reason you may have tight, clenched jaw muscles.

Negative Effects of Bruxism

Severe and chronic teeth grinding and jaw clenching can lead to several negative side effects, which can cause damage to your teeth, jaw, and oral health.

Pain: When constantly grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw, the pressure exerted on the jaw joints and supporting muscle structure can lead to significant jaw pain and stiffness. You could even get an earache caused by constant teeth grinding.

Jaw Disorder: The structure of your muscles and joints that comprise your jaw can be negatively impacted by bruxism. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMD, can be the result.

Tooth Wear and Damage: When constantly grinding or clenching, your teeth will slowly begin to wear down on the surface, causing the enamel to wear away. This constant stress can also lead to chips, cracks, and fractures in a tooth.

These are just a few detrimental side effects that bruxism can bring.

Treatment is easy and can save oral health in the long run. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Palka, please call (403) 768-2271.