Teeth grinding is on the up in Plymouth

Teeth grinding

Here at Hartley Dental we have noticed an increase in teeth grinding over the last few years.

Teeth grinding is often caused by stress and as all our lives become increasingly busy and stressful so we have seen an increase in patients coming in with ....Symptoms and signs of clenching and grinding. Stress, habits and busy lifestyles all contribute and there can be serious problems associated with these habits, both as causes and as results of the practice. There are also links with sleep disturbance, snoring and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome with the associated health risks!Teeth grinding causes:

• Headaches, neck pain and facial pain
• Increased wear on teeth, broken teeth, chipped front teeth and damage to existing restorations
• Jaw joint pain, clicking and tenderness

Teeth grinding can be caused or brought on by:

• Stress, busy lifestyles and juggling too much!
• Interferences between your top and bottom teeth
• Overnight restricted airways - this problem affects women and men equally despite the snoring! This problem leads to disturbed sleep, chronic fatigue, spikes in blood pressure, stress on your heart and can be associated with increased risk of stroke, heart attack and fibromylgia. It also tends to keep your partner awake!

So how does a dentist help?We can assess the type of grinding, look at other symptoms and then advise on a treatment plan. This can vary from simple exercises through to specialist splints and mandibular advancement devices. In cases where we feel that full OSA ( Obstructive Sleep Apnoea) might be the issue then we would recommend referral to a specialist sleep medicine centre.Not only can we help but we have personal experience! Charles uses an appliance which helps him to stop clenching and lets his wife get a better nights sleep!Do you think you are grinding your teeth?Have you chipped or broken a tooth with no obvious cause? Do you have restless nights? Do you get headaches or neck pain?If you have answered yes to any of the above, then why not book a consultation. We can fully diagnosis and provide you with a treatment plan to help you and your loved ones get a better nights sleep!Call us now: 01752 547 884