Across the United States, dentists are noticing an upward trend in bruxism for many of their patients and it’s no coincidence that this lines up with the start of the pandemic. Since the beginning of 2020, individuals with cracked teeth and fillings have participated in more unconscious teeth grinding than ever before. According to Maryam Horiyat, DDS, a dentist in Laguna Niguel, this data makes sense given that coronavirus has caused an undue amount of stress on many households. Financial worries, health concerns, and even political strain have contributed to poor oral health in more ways than one. 

While people are developing more intense bruxism conditions, they are also avoiding their routine dental exams because of health concerns with the pandemic. Fortunately, dentist offices in Mission Viejo have adopted stricter sanitation guidelines and adjusted scheduling to reduce contact between patients and staff. If you start to notice any tooth pain, jaw soreness, or cracks in your teeth, then it may be time to visit an oral care clinic like Aria Dental.

What is bruxism?

Bruxism is a fairly common condition in which people clench or grind their teeth unknowingly. This can be a result of stress, anxiety, genetics, tobacco use, caffeine consumption, sleep apnea, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, or some psychiatric medications. Most people do this at night when they are sleeping. However, it can also happen during the day. This condition can cause increased wear on teeth and lead to painful damage such as teeth sensitivity, receding gum, teeth cracks, tooth loss; It also causes facial pain, ear pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and jaw pain.

Why do I have bruxism?

It can be hard to pinpoint the origin of teeth grinding, especially since there are so many known triggers, but Aria Dental dentists can help you to prevent the damages caused by bruxism. Many dentists suspect that this past year has been particularly stressful for patients. Until you visit a biological and holistic dentist in Laguna Niguel such as Doctor Horiyat, try these natural techniques for consciously relaxing your muscles and preventing bruxism from becoming unbearable: 

• Deep breathing exercises
• Meditation 
• Yoga
• Long walks
• Time spent in nature
• Listening to soothing music 
• Herbal tea
• Positive mantras
• Knitting, coloring, or other low-key activities

How can my dentist help with bruxism?

If you are currently struggling with bruxism, then your dentist will likely recommend visiting Aria Dental to check your airway, occlusion (bite), and muscle strain. Then based on your diagnosis, Dr. Horiyat may recommend night guard, jaw joint and muscle strain treatment technique, occlusal correction, Botox, or any other natural and modern techniques.  These can immediately stop damage to your teeth and jaw. As long as there is no permanent damage to your teeth, you will be able to save your teeth from any further strain and protect your enamel with a custom dental guard. If there are any damages such as tooth crack, you could fix it at an early stage before it gets to the point tooth extraction is the only choice.

Why is bruxism so damaging to teeth?

Natural teeth are precious. Your enamel is responsible for protecting your teeth from decay and damage. Once enamel wears off, it cannot grow back. Bruxism threatens the strength of your enamel and thus makes you more susceptible to oral health problems. You can break teeth, fillings, and other restorations as well as develop gum diseases, and ultimately tooth loss.

Why should I get a custom night guard? Optimum Retention!

You might think that off-the-shelf night guards are ok, but they could damage your gum line (gum recession), doesn’t fit your bite, affect your bite as well as your breathing properly. However, customed night guards eliminated many of these issues; it is tear-resistant, comfortable, and well fitted.  Particularly, people with harsher bruxism, breathing problem, gagging habit, or TMJ conditions require a custom dental guard. Customizations include fitting to your bite (so the guard doesn’t fall out while you’re sleeping), does not causes gagging, and setting the right thickness according to the severity of your condition. Custom night guards will ultimately meet a greater range of needs in a proper way and will last longer with greater protection. 

Don’t let the danger of bruxism affects your overall health and oral health. Scheduled a dental appointment at Aria Dental to see Orange County’s top biological and cosmetic dentist by calling (949) 364–9600 or visiting our website: AriaDentalCare.com