Posted

Grinding your teeth can be a subconscious reaction to stress and anxiety, a result of an abnormally aligned bite, or a side effect of extremely crooked teeth. In some cases, an orthodontist might need to be consulted to help realign the jaw. Many times, the solution is simply a mouthpiece from your dentist that you wear at night, while you sleep. Here’s a quiz from your Mansfield dentists, Dr. Harris and Dr. Jones, to see how much you know about the nightly grind.

Teeth Grinding Quiz

Q1. What is the medical term for grinding your teeth?

A. Bruxism

B. Bruxitis

C. Fluorosis

D. Dentitis

Q2. True or false – Most cases of teeth grinding occur during the day in moments of great stress.

Q3. True or false – Teeth grinding is annoying, but harmless.

Q4. True or false – Chewing gum too often can lead to teeth grinding.

Answers

A1. A – Bruxism is the medical term for the act of clenching and grinding teeth together.

A2. FALSE – Bruxism usually occurs when someone is sleeping. It is thought to relate to stress, but is generally an unconscious phenomenon that happens at night.

A3. FALSE – The force and motion of grinding your teeth together for extended periods of time can be extremely damaging to tooth enamel. The enamel on your teeth is the strongest substance in the body. The act of grinding teeth for hours at a time, night after night, will wear down the enamel, making your teeth prime targets for tooth decay. In addition to that, jaw pain and headaches are often side effects of the physical pressure of bruxism.

A4. TRUE – Chewing gum excessively, extreme overeating throughout the day, caffeine, and alcohol, are all thought to contribute to teeth grinding.

Visit Your Mansfield Dentist if You are Suffering from Bruxism

If you think you are grinding your teeth at night, you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Schedule a consultation at our Mansfield dentist office at (817) 259-1357. We are proud to provide comprehensive dentistry procedures to patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian, the 76063 zip code, and surrounding neighborhoods.