how Absolute can help with clenching and grinding

October 24-30th is Bruxism Awareness Week
Are any of these symptoms familiar: migraines, tinnitus, poor sleep quality, neck ache and pain in the jaw joints? For most people, any of these symptoms would prompt a visit to their GP – however, very few people realise that there is one common cause for these symptoms – one that can only your dentist – rather than your doctor – can solve.
This is because bruxism (tooth clenching and grinding) affects over half of the adult population, an possible up to as many as 85% of patients for every dental practice – but because the bruxism mostly happens at night, most people are unaware they are doing it – any many dentists don’t associate these symptoms with other signs, such as tooth wear, due to a lack of awareness of the condition.
Here at Absolute Dental, your jaw joint is checked at every Oral Health Assessment to assess for signs of abnormal function; we monitor the wear on your teeth, look for abnormal tooth fractures and we take the time to ask about your general health. If we think that you might be putting your dental health at risk due to nocturnal clenching and grinding we can suggest a simple splint treatment which will not only protect your teeth but help to train the muscles of the jaw to relax, thus trying to break the clenching/grinding cycle.
If you have any concerns that you might one of the millions of people affected by bruxism, please call us for details on how we can help, or mention it to Rhod and Ruth next time you visit the practice.