Our Blog

Posts for tag: Grinding Teeth

What is Bruxism?

By Reno Laser Dentistry

February 01, 2012

Category: dental

Tags: Reno Dentist Reno Dental Reno Laser Dentist Grinding Teeth

Usually when all is silent through the night, did you know that many people deal with bruxism? Now you’re probably asking yourself what is bruxism? It’s grinding your teeth while sleeping, no fun at all.

According to an article at dentistry.com,” teeth grinding and night guards”

“Many people don’t realize they have nocturnal bruxism (e.g. teeth grinding at night) until it’s too late. The first sign of trouble often comes after their teeth are seriously damaged. This is unfortunate because most bruxism-related injuries can be prevented by early intervention and a teeth grinding night guard.

Nocturnal Bruxism: Teeth Grinding While Sleeping

Nocturnal or night bruxism is a common dental problem. WorldDental reports it affects up to 95 percent of adults and approximately 15 percent of children. Dentists know that the teeth grinding associated with nocturnal bruxism is particularly destructive. The physics behind nocturnal bruxism teeth grinding is quite amazing. According to SleepChannel, bruxing occurs an average of 25 times per night, usually in four to five second episodes. Even worse than the frequency of the bruxing is the amount of pressure placed upon your teeth? The New York Times reports that grinding teeth at night produces up to 900 pounds of pressure per square inch on molars. Normal chewing only produces 68 pounds of pressure. Considering these conditions, it’s no wonder that the damage caused by grinding teeth at night is irreversible.

The Wake Up Call: You Need a Teeth Grinding Night Guard

There are many telltale signs that you’d benefit from a teeth grinding night guard. Common symptoms of nocturnal bruxism include persistent morning headaches, ringing in the ears, jaw tenderness and tooth abnormalities. Ironically, some bruxism sufferers are unaware of their condition until someone tells them about it. The bearer of bad news is either a dentist who notices unusual teeth wear or a loved one who complains that the bruxer’s annoying teeth grinding is disturbing everyone’s sleep."

Click here to view the entire article:

If you have this problem or know someone with this issue please contact Dr. McElhinney’s dental office in Reno to set-up an appointment today.