Did you know that most people who grind their teeth aren’t even aware that they are doing it? Not because it’s a habit they’ve gotten used to (although this can often be the case), but because they tend to do it at night while they’re sleeping. 

At Shine Dental Clinic, we’re used to helping patients manage their bruxism, which is the medical term for the act of grinding one’s teeth. It’s not just about putting an end to the resulting headaches and sore jaws symptomatic of bruxism, but also to prevent the far-reaching consequences that teeth grinding can have on your dental health. 

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• How to tell if you’re grinding your teeth too much
• What the long-term effects of bruxism are
• How to stop grinding your teeth
• How Anti-wrinkle treatment stops you from grinding your teeth at night 

How To Tell If You’re Grinding Your Teeth Too Much

It’s completely normal to clench your jaw and grind your teeth every now and then. This is actually referred to as an oral para-functional activity. However, when this happens more regularly, you may need to take steps to stop it and avoid causing damage to your teeth. 

Of course, as we mentioned above, you might only be doing this at night and not be aware that you’re doing it at all. If this is you, then there are a wide range of symptoms that could help you figure out if you’re suffering from bruxism. 

Here are the most common symptoms of teeth grinding. How many of these can you tick yes to?

Common symptoms of teeth grinding:

• Sore jaw
• Headaches
• Earaches
• Hot, cold sensitivity in the teeth
• Insomnia
• Altered facial appearance due to the enlargement of the masseter muscle (jaw muscle), causing a square jaw contour

What The Long-Term Effects of Bruxism Are

For those that don’t suffer from bruxism or are only just noticing that they have a problem with grinding their teeth, it might not seem like an issue that you need to resolve with any sense of urgency. That is, unless there is some continued discomfort that’s making life unpleasant.

Unfortunately, if you continue to grind your teeth unchecked, you could suffer from more severe, long-term effects. 

Some of the complications you could experience include:

• Misshapen teeth, presenting as flattened, fractured, or chipped teeth, which can change how your teeth feel, how they work, and can also affect your smile.
• Loose teeth, which can eventually cause problems with speech and eating.
• Worn tooth enamel, leading to the deeper layers of your teeth becoming exposed to various risks, including cavities.
• Increased sensitivity or pain to hot or cold temperatures as your enamel wears away.
• Eventually, bruxism can lead to pain in other areas of your body, including your neck, face, and ears.
• Constant teeth grinding can also damage your cheek tissues, leading to pain and bleeding.

How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth

Thankfully, there are several steps and treatments you can turn to in order to put an end to either daytime or nighttime teeth grinding. Not every solution on this list will have the desired effects and you may need to explore something a bit more effective, like the use of Anti-wrinkle treatment, which is particularly useful in the treatment of nighttime teeth grinding. 

That said, it’s good to know about all your options and our professional clinicians will ensure that we talk you through all the approaches available in order to find the solution that works best for you.

The top 5 solutions that you can try include:

1. Use a nighttime mouth guard to protect your teeth. We can fit you for a custom mouth guard to comfortably keep your teeth safe throughout the night. 
2. Perform facial massage techniques to soothe and relax your jaw before you go to sleep.
3. Practice mindfulness several times a day to make you more conscious of your clenching.
4. Stop chewing on things that aren’t food, like a pen cap or chewing gum.
5. Explore Botulinum Toxin (Anti-wrinkle treatment) treatments to relax the masseter muscle in your jaw and prevent you from unconsciously clenching and grinding your teeth.

HowAnti-wrinkle treatment Stops You From Grinding Your Teeth At Night

We have successfully used Anti-wrinkle treatment to treat bruxism in our patients. The treatment is very simple, in that a certified practitioner will inject a small dose of Anti-wrinkle treatment directly into your jaw muscle. This will weaken the muscle just enough to stop the habitual grinding of your teeth and clenching of your jaw. 

Ultimately, through the use of Anti-wrinkle treatment, we can significantly relax the muscle and reduce the wear and tear on your teeth as a result of clenching or grinding.

Is It Safe?

Botulinum Toxin is a natural toxin and is safe to use when injected by an experienced practitioner. At Shine Dental Clinic, we have a certified practitioner who will give you the best advice on your Anti-wrinkle treatment.

You can also rest assured that all Anti-wrinkle treatment products used by Shine Dental Clinic are FDA approved and are clinically tested. All our procedures are done in a controlled environment and you’ll be made to feel at ease during your treatments.

To book your consultation with Shine Dental Clinic and get a quote on the costs related to your treatment, call us on 01420 550616.