The Tooth About Teeth Grinding

Headaches in Lexington are a dime a dozen. We all know the frustration of having your day interrupted by throbbing, shooting pains in the head. If you suffer from frequent headaches that never seem to go away, Dr. Brewer would like you to know about bruxism, or teeth grinding, a common condition that Lexington residents rarely know they have. At Brewer Family Dental, we love spreading the news about all things dental health, so here is some headache information that just might change your life.

Bruxism and Headaches

You may not be aware of it, but everyone clenches and grinds their teeth at some point, to some degree. It’s a natural reaction to stress. During the day, you might catch yourself doing it and consciously stop, but during the night, you are unaware of it and will naturally grind much harder. Unfortunately, some people in Lexington have such problems with bruxism that they may experience:

• Frequent, painful headaches
• Damaged, worn-down teeth and surrounding tissues
• TMJ/TMD

According to Dr. Noshir Mehta, chairman of general dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and director of its Craniofacial Pain Center, the upper and lower teeth come into contact for as much as 40 minutes of each hour. The force exerted on some teeth, such as the first molars, can be about 250 lbs, as opposed to the 20-40 lbs involved in regular daily chewing.

If you grind your teeth and have frequent headaches, don’t panic. Bruxism is easily treatable with custom-fit night guards that Dr. Brewer will personally fit to your teeth. To find out more about how we can make your headaches go away, call us at Brewer Family Dental at 859-554-4799 today.

Sources

http://www.medicinenet.com/teeth_grinding_bruxism/article.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/health/13grin.html