What about Teeth Grinding?Teeth grinding happens to basically everyone. Some grind teeth a lot, and some hardly any. But, pretty much everyone at one time or an other, grind their teeth at night.Now, parents can hear their little children grinding teeth when they're sleeping. To moms, it is the worst thing to hear. Ooh, that screaching grinding horrible sound. If you have children, then you probably know what I'm talking about. Don't worry about the little ones that grind, most kids do it. Yes, grinding will wear down their teeth a bit, and yes, rarely kids will wear down their teeth to the gums down to nubbs (which I've rarely seen). That's not what parents want, but it'll be OK. When those baby teeth come out when he/she is 10 -12 years old, they'll get brand new healthy adult teeth that aren't worn down. At that time, any "good" Dentist can spot any bite problems to prevent hurting the new teeth. Usually braces (orthodontics) will correct most bite problems, although a good TMJ Dentist can determine "invisible" severe problems with Splint therapy. For the Adults that have tooth grinding episodes, you are definatley not alone. Again, most adults do it from time to time. If it is a severe tooth grinding night for you, and if it continues for many months or even years, several disorders or problems can develope. Number one, grinding can wear down your teeth. Your Dentist can watch out for this, but if you have a night guard, that will prevent the teeth from wearing down, at least during the night time grinding. Number two, teeth grinding can traumatize your teeth to a point to kill the tooth. When that happens, you can have pain with that tooth. At that point, you'll need to have a Root Canal done on the tooth. This is typical for adults in their forties, but can happen to any person that grinds their teeth without protection. To get the best protection from teeth grinding when sleeping, your Dentist can make you a custom night guard, or, you can purchase one here by clicking on this tab.
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