A recent CNN news story by writer Kristen Rogers suggests that some dentists may be seeing a sharp uptick in the number of cracked and chipped teeth as a result of stress from the pandemic. In the story, she interviews several dentists who report treating double the number of cracked and damaged teeth from grinding since the pandemic forced everyone into various forms of lock down earlier this year.
In this post, we'll describe in more detail what bruxism is, how many experience it, and what you can do to treat it.
What is Bruxism?
To put it simply, bruxism is when you grind or clench your teeth. Although it happens unconsciously for many in their sleep, bruxism can also occur throughout the day. The condition can be aptly categorized as awake bruxism or sleep bruxism.
There isn't a broad consensus on the exact cause of bruxism, but many physicians, psychologists, and dentists believe it may be a combination of mental and physical health factors and genetics. Many dentists think stress from the pandemic and economic uncertainty experienced by many Americans to be the cause of this recent perceived uptick in treating cracked teeth and bruxism.
Bruxism Symptoms
Bruxism symptoms tend to be mild for most who experience it, but it can lead to some relatively severe conditions if left untreated, including:
- Cracked, chipped teeth
- Tension headaches
- Weakened healthy tooth structure
- Clicking in your jaw when you open or close or your mouth
- Facial pain
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain
- Sleep disorders
Some may experience sleep bruxism for years until enough damage has been done for them to experience worse conditions, which highlights the importance of regular dental care and checkups.
How is Bruxism Treated?
Dentists treat bruxism by prescribing dental appliances such as mouth guards or splints. They might also make slight alterations to a patient's bite with crowns or tooth reshaping to mitigate and/or repair damage from bruxism. Depending on the root cause, people experiencing bruxism may also choose to seek mental health services such as cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotropic medication to lessen the severity of their teeth grinding.
Thanks for Reading!
We hope you and your family stay safe while practicing self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you're experiencing bruxism, get in touch with us to learn the best approach to treating it.
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