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We all experience some level of anxiety – but certain periods get us sweating more than others. If you’re dealing with heightened stress, it’s important that you remember to care for your teeth. The muscle movements that stem from high stress can lead to big problems for your teeth, and your jaws. With this blog post, we’ll explain just why this happens, and a few ways that you can keep your teeth from suffering the consequences.
How Stress = Poor Health
You probably knew that stress impacts your health, but you may not have been aware of how it specifically damages your teeth. When you’re experiencing stress, it’s common to clench certain muscles, especially at times when you’re not conscious of said clenching. Our jaw muscles are powerful, and when they clench on their own (a regular basis), your teeth become worn, chipped, cracked, or worse.
Chronic grinding is known as bruxism, and it’s one of the most common and damaging mouth-related problems. If your grinding continues long-term, you could actually see your TMJ (temporomandibular joint, aka jaw joint) suffering, causing exhaustion and pain.
Fighting Bruxism to Protect Your Teeth
Most bruxers do so without realizing, when they are sleeping or concentrating. If you plan ahead, you can help keep your teeth from becoming damaged during these periods. What kind of preparation do you need? A mouth guard. These custom-made guards fit over your teeth to protect the enamel and stabilize your lower jaw.
Don’t let your stress kick off a vicious cycle of dental problems (causing more stress in turn). Instead, check in with Dr. Baudean to see whether you’re grinding your teeth, and whether a guard is the right step. We’ll take an impression of your teeth and have your custom guard ready soon.
