With COVID-19 influencing our day-to-day lives, it’s no surprise that stress levels across the country are only increasing. Of course, that doesn’t mean you didn’t already have stress in your life to begin with. If you’ve been experiencing chronic pain in certain parts of your body, particularly your jaw, it might be a sign that you have an underlying teeth grinding and clenching disorder that could develop into a more serious condition later. Here’s why now is the time to visit a TMJ dentist before your symptoms worsen.
Bruxism: A Common, Yet Underdiagnosed, Dental Condition
At first, teeth grinding, and clenching can seem like mostly harmless habits that don’t occur often enough to warrant concern. However, the opposite couldn’t be truer. Like many dental conditions, they often don’t cause chronic discomfort until it’s already too late. For example, grinding and clenching can happen often and lead to real damage.
While tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body, regular wear and tear can put it in jeopardy. For example, if you regularly clench your teeth and grind them together, enamel breaks down. Not only can this make your teeth appear flat, but it can even cause them to crack or fracture. Since this habit most often occurs while you sleep, there’s a chance that you could wake up with severe tooth pain (and a cracked tooth) in the middle of the night!
If you’re wondering how this habit occurs in the first place, you’re going to want to pay closer attention to your daily habits.
How Stress Acts as a Precursor for TMJ
Stress can often lead to teeth grinding and clenching. Whether the stress occurs while you’re at home or at work, it can cause you to unconsciously grind and clench your teeth throughout the day and while you sleep. Over time, the constant movement of your bottom jaw can begin to put undue stress on your jaw joints, leading to pain and stiffness. This condition is known as TMJ disorder and requires targeted treatment to manage once it has appeared.
The best way to avoid being diagnosed with TMJ disorder is to stay proactive now and get professional care from a dentist. The more you do to minimize stress and be mindful about your clenching and grinding now, the better.
Don’t Let COVID-19 Ruin Your Oral Health
COVID-19 is making 2020 one of the most stressful years on record. It can be difficult to know for sure what’s going to happen moving forward, but when it comes to your oral health, you do have a choice. Teeth grinding and clenching are habits that will not get better on their own.
While you can do your best to reduce your stress, sometimes there are certain external factors that can be next to impossible to control. In the meantime, you can give your teeth the protection they need by getting in touch with a dentist. If you are experiencing jaw pain/worn teeth, call one before it’s too late.
About MoreSMILES
The dentists at MoreSMILES are dedicated to helping you protect your oral health in every way possible. Whether it’s cavities and gum disease caused by harmful bacteria or untreated bruxism and TMJ disorder caused by stress, they are ready to provide you with a tailored solution, including customized oral appliances and TMJ therapy. To schedule an appointment, you can contact them through their website.