Many people grind their teeth from time to time, but they generally don’t notice it because it usually occurs at night. If you wake up with a dull headache or a sore jaw, the chances are that you grind your teeth, and it should be checked out as soon as possible.

There are many causes, risks, and treatments to bruxism, which is also known as teeth grinding, including:

Causes
There are different causes in adults and children when it comes to teeth grinding. For adults, the causes generally include stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, an abnormal bite, misaligned teeth, or missing teeth. For children, the causes include irritations in the mouth, allergies, and misaligned teeth. However, children’s teeth and jaws tend to shift and change quickly, so this problem should not continue past the teen years.

Risks
If the habit is not treated, you could suffer from headaches, toothaches, loose teeth, jaw soreness, and fractured teeth.

Treatments
There are many different types of treatments available in the world today that can help you. Some treatments include night guards, sleep disorder treatments, relaxation medication, meditation, exercise, and counseling.

Our team at High Desert Dental cares for you and your smile, and we don’t want your oral health to alter because of this dangerous habit. So, if you tend to grind your teeth at night, please call our office at 208-350-6795 and schedule an appointment with Dr. Trista Pottenger. We are here to help you, and we look forward to giving you the tips you need to improve the health of your oral cavity.