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Build Stronger Teeth


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Build Stronger Teeth

Everyone knows the basics of good dental care. Brush your teeth after every meal, floss every day, see your dentist at least twice a year. It sounds simple. But what if you still don’t have strong, healthy teeth? Weak enamel can be a genetic weakness, or it can be caused by other conditions, like Celiac disease. I’ve always had weak enamel, so I started looking into ways that I could increase the strength of my teeth, and found that dietary changes could make a big difference. I started this blog to share my experience, and to talk about other ways you can make your teeth stronger and healthier. There are lots of things that you can do to improve your dental health. You just have to find them.

How Teeth Grinding Can Slowly Wreck Your Dental Health

If your dentist notices that you're grinding your teeth together, your dentist will do everything within their power to help you stop. However, as strange as it may sound, you might not find it possible to stop. But if you're going to grind your teeth together, your dentist can at least ensure that you don't damage your teeth in the process.

Largely Involuntary

Teeth grinding (formally known as bruxism) has many causes, and in most cases, happens while you sleep—making it involuntary. It can be a manifestation of stress, which your dentist can't help you with (although you may want to identify and address these potential stressors). It can also be due to decay or dental infection, leading to you instinctually changing the set of your jaw (the way your upper and lower dental arches make contact). This can make your teeth grind together. If it's within their power to do so, such as when there's a physical cause for your bruxism, your dentist will correct the issue.

Serious Tooth Decay

Even when the likely cause of bruxism is addressed, your jaw may not immediately reset itself. And the cause may not be identified, in any event. But although the long-term consequences of teeth grinding can be catastrophic, your dentist can help you to easily manage the condition. Without intervention, the end results are comparable to serious tooth decay. The friction caused by grinding causes your teeth to corrode—particularly their biting surfaces. As their protective enamel is worn away, teeth become more vulnerable to decay and will become sensitive (and even painful). This is why teeth grinding must be managed.

Treatment Options

There are comprehensive treatment options for teeth grinding. Botox injections can restrict the movement of your mastication muscles, minimizing your grinding. Extreme cases may benefit from corrective jaw surgery. However, most patients won't require such extreme measures. A lightweight, ultra-thin piece of plastic should be more than enough to manage your condition.

Night Guards

Dental night guards are thermoplastic retainers, which resemble invisible braces and other such orthodontic treatments, but with a different goal. It simply stops your upper and lower sets of teeth from being able to touch each other, which eliminates their ability to apply friction to each other. 

If your jaw hurts in the morning, and you're noticing increasing sensitivity in your teeth, you may want to schedule an appointment with your dentist. They can assess your teeth for signs of grinding-induced corrosion and can proceed as needed.

To learn more about dental night guards, talk to a professional dentist in your area.