Bruxism, which is quite common in the society, is the term given to individuals unconsciously pressing their teeth together at night or during the day. We know that 2 out of every 5 people have bruxism, it is caused by many reasons can cause permanent damage to the teeth and can seriously reduce the quality of life.
One of the biggest solutions is to use a gum guard as you have heard before. Gum guards, night guards, are tools that minimise the damage caused by bruxism and are simple to use. In this blog, we will explain what bruxism is, its causes, consequences and the major role of the night guard in the treatment of bruxism. If you suffer from grinding your teeth, you can gain more information, take action and improve your quality of life, now!
What are the causes of bruxism?
As there are many different identifiable or unidentifiable causes of teeth grinding, the most common causes can be listed as follows;
- Intense stress that the person cannot express outwardly
- Sleep problems such as sleep apnoea
- Jaw asymmetry, e.g. malocclusion
- Lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol, drugs
How do I know if I’m grinding my teeth?
If you wake up in the morning with a severe headache, severe jaw pain, your teeth look as if they have been filed down, there is sensitivity and your jaw muscles are strong when you clench them, you are most likely grinding your teeth.
What is the role of gum guard in bruxism?
As you are familiar with, night guards are hard, transparent plaques that cover the tooth and part of the gums, which are individually prepared by taking the impressions of the jaw and teeth. It is sufficient to wear it only on the upper or lower jaw, it is generally recommended for the upper jaw. When you wear it before going to sleep at night, you prevent the contact of the teeth, so that your upper and lower teeth cannot touch each other. Since your teeth cannot touch each other, they are protected, you can think of the plaque as a barrier here.
In this way, dental plaque acts as a barrier and protects additional treatments on the teeth, such as fillings and crowns, and prevents the tooth from chipping or fracturing.
It improves your sleep quality and minimises your head and jaw pain, as your jaw muscles will not be overly tensed.
Maintenance of Gum Guards
Let’s say you have realised that you are grinding your teeth, you have consulted your dentist and now you have a night guard, it is important to take good care of your guard as you have to use it every single night.
- The first recommendation is of course hygiene, when you wake up in the morning you should clean your gum guard with a quality toothpaste, a mild soap or special plaque cleaning tablets.
- In addition to hygiene, how you store it is also a point to be considered. You can leave it dry in an airy clean box that does not allow bacteria to breed.
- Finally, gum guards are not meant to be used forever, they can wear out and lose their function due to daily use. You need to renew at least once a year.
In Conclusion
Aside from our medical point of view, teeth grinding is a condition experienced by 4 out of every 10 people, our daily life is too stressful, we are always in a state of chaos due to our jobs, responsibilities, deadlines. On the other hand, it is very natural for our body to want to reflect this stress to the outside, in fact, this is a signal given to you, if you know how to understand it.
Your body is regulating you to slow down, to express yourself and to manage your stress. It’s another way of saying if you ignore my message, you will grind your teeth all night long.
Do yourself a favour, if you suspect that you are seriously grinding your teeth, see your dentist and get a gum guard. In addition to using it regularly, focus on the root cause of your bruxism. Learn to manage your stress, bruxism can even cause you to lose your teeth, it is not a condition to be ignored, grinding is common but not normal. Life is too short and we deserve to live this short life with great quality. Do not let any condition reduce your enjoyment of life.