Fremont, CA Dentist
Mission Hills Family Dentistry
39572 Stevenson Place
Suite 125
Fremont, CA 94539
(510) 793-0800
Cupertino Family Dentistry
Mission Hills Family Dentistry
10055 N. Portal Avenue Suite 130
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 257-4304

 

Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, is often viewed as a harmless, though annoying, habit. Some people develop bruxism from an inability to deal with stress or anxiety.

However, teeth grinding can literally transform your bite relationship and worse, severely damage your teeth and jaws over long periods of time.

Teeth grinding can cause abrasion to the chewing surfaces of your teeth. This abnormal wear and tear will prematurely age and loosen your teeth, and open them to problems such as hypersensitivity (from the small cracks that form, exposing your dentin). Bruxism can also lead to chronic jaw and facial pain, as well as headaches.

If no one has told you that you grind your teeth, here are a few clues that you may suffer from bruxism:

  • Your jaw is often sore, or you hear popping sounds when you open and close your mouth.
  • Your teeth look abnormally short or worn down.
  • You notice small dents in your tongue.

Bruxism is somewhat treatable. A common therapy involves use of a special appliance worn while sleeping. Less intrusive, though just as effective methods could involve biofeedback, and behavior modification, such as tongue exercises and learning how to properly align your tongue, teeth and lips.

Gayatri Sakhrani
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Team Fun Page

Are Baby Teeth important? Baby teeth may not last forever, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t extremely important. In fact, they are just as important to babies and kids as your adult teeth are to you! Here are five things every parent definitely needs to know about baby teeth. My Child is having speech issues could this be related to their teeth?

Losing certain teeth too early can make it difficult to correctly say some words and might cause long-term problems down the road. Does it really matter if you get a cavity in a baby tooth?

Baby teeth are different from adult teeth in that the outer layer of the teeth (the enamel) is much thinner, and the layer just under that (dentin) is much softer. Because of this, cavities can eat through baby teeth surprisingly quickly. With regular dental checkups, little cavities can get filled before they grow into a gaping hole. Do cavities in baby teeth hurt as bad as adult cavities?

Cavities hurt at any age! For children with untreated cavities, there is a good chance their little mouths are in pain. This can make it hard to focus in school and may lead to them feeling upset or grumpy much of the time. Living with the nagging pain of a toothache is no fun at all, so get those tiny teeth looked at asap! Healthy baby teeth lead to healthy adult teeth, but they also do so much more. You can do your part by making sure your children brush after meals, floss daily, and see the dentist twice a year. And if you spot a cavity, get to the dentist right away! Every kid deserves to have a healthy, happy smile.