Generally people grind their teeth while they are sleeping but there are two other reasons why grinding occurs - Stress and Anxiety. The stranger fact is that when people grind their teeth they do not know that they are doing it intentionally as it happens when they are sleeping and because of this it results in headache and a sore jaw.
Although teeth grinding is harmless but still if it is done regularly it can result in fracturing and/or loss of teeth. This is called as chronic grinding. You need to be really cautious if in case you feel that you suffer from Chronic Grinding because then there will be need of Root Canal, Bridges, Crowns, Implants or complete dentures. It can not only result in tooth loss but it will also affect your jaws and the worst part - it may affect how your face looks like. Scary it is!!
Every problem has a solution. So there is a solution for Bruxism as well. The moment you feel that you suffer from Teeth Grinding see your dentist immediately. He/she can fit a mouth guard which helps in preventing teeth from grinding. But in case of stress you have nothing to do but attend some stress relieving sessions or start off with some sort of exercises. You can use some muscle relaxants but try to avoid getting into medications in case of stress. There are certain foods as well which if avoided can help in reducing teeth grinding. So let me take you through these:
1. Any food that contain caffeine such as chocolate, cola and coffee
2. Alcohol is not good in any respect and it intensifies grinding even more
3. As kids or even as adults we have an intricate habit of chewing on anything which is not even food. We tend to chew on pencils; pens etc. but avoid doing that.
4. Before going off to sleep you can use a warm wash cloth on your face. This will relax your jaws.
It is not just we adults who have this problem. Our kids also face the same problem. As far as kids are concerned you will be surprised to know that nearly 15% to 35% kids grind their teeth and mostly during the time when their baby teeth are coming out or when their permanent teeth are developing. Why they grind their teeth? Well no one knows the exact reason but speculations say that it might be due to improper teeth alignment or improper contact between upper and lower teeth. In case your kid complains of headache or jaw pains immediately consult your dentist.
So try these simple hacks in your daily to avoid deformation of face and teeth. Maintain that beautiful smile always. Keep Smiling.
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