What your dentists in Easton want you to know.

If you grind your teeth at night, chances are you’ve awakened others with the loud sounds grinding makes. Grinding your teeth doesn’t just sound bad. The fact is, grinding your teeth can cause all kinds of problems with your teeth, jaws and head. Your dentists at Dental Choice in Easton, MD, want to share some of the effects teeth grinding can have on your smile and your life.

When you grind your teeth, it puts tremendous pressure on your teeth and jaws, and also strains the muscles in your face and head. Some of the signs and symptoms you may experience due to grinding include:

• Headaches and earaches
• Muscle pain in your face
• Tired muscles in your face and jaws

Much of the damage from grinding will be evident on your teeth. Grinding your teeth frequently causes:

• Worn down tooth enamel, especially on the chewing surfaces of your teeth
• Chipped or fractured teeth, from heavy pressure on your teeth
• Loose teeth or feeling like your teeth are moving
• Tooth sensitivity

Inside your tooth is an area called the pulp chamber, where the nerves and blood supply are. When you grind, it puts pressure on both the outside and the inside of your teeth. Repeated trauma to your teeth can make needing root canals more likely.

Surrounding your teeth there are many ligaments and fibers which hold your teeth in place. When you grind, these ligaments and fibers can stretch or be damaged, causing slight movement of your teeth or a feeling of your teeth being loose.

If you think you might be grinding your teeth, don’t wait for your teeth to be damaged. You should visit your dentist at Dental Choice and have a custom-fit nightguard created to protect your teeth. Nightguards are an inexpensive, easy way to protect your smile from damage.

If you have already damaged your teeth from grinding or other trauma, your dentists at Dental Choice offer a wide range of restorative and cosmetic treatments to correct your dental issues and give you back your smile.

Don’t let your smile suffer from grinding your teeth. Take charge of your smile by calling your dentists at Dental Choice in Easton, MD. Protect your smile by calling today!