By properly managing stress, you can have an easier time maintaining good mental and physical health. You might not realize it, but your relationship to stress can also impact your smile. One physical response to stress that you can experience is a tendency to grind or clench your teeth. If this has started to become an issue for you, it may have escaped your notice – many people with this problem grind their teeth at night. To deal with this issue, known as bruxism, you can work to reduce your stress levels, make changes to your diet, or talk with your Temecula, CA dentist. In some cases, your dentist can recommend a custom oral appliance to help you sleep without grinding your teeth.

Stress Can Have Negative Effects On Your Oral Health

Stress can lead to teeth grinding and several other issues that might impact your smile health. If your issues with stress include dry mouth, you can have a more difficult time keeping your teeth safe against cavities due to a lack of saliva production. People who are trying to push through episodes of stress may overlook the ways in which their diet has changed, or they can be too distracted to focus on good brushing and flossing habits.

Dealing With A Teeth Grinding Issue

Bruxism can lead to changes in your appearance as your teeth start to look flat, misshapen, or worn down. If these problems become conspicuous, it may take cosmetic dental work to give you back your confidence in your smile. It can also lead to persistent jaw pain that impacts your quality of life. Pay attention to your jaw throughout the day – if you identify unconscious issues with grinding you can correct them and start to relieve tension. Cutting alcohol and caffeine can also help with nightly teeth grinding.

How Can I Address Damage That Has Already Occurred?

While cosmetic dental work can be enough to address bruxism’s physical effect for some people, others may require something more involved. If you have any teeth that have become chipped or cracked, it may be necessary to restore them with dental crowns. In addition to taking care of the appearance of injured teeth, dental crowns can protect teeth in order to improve your bite, and also prevent potential infection issues from occurring.

Our Temecula, CA Dentist’s Office Can Help You Protect Your Teeth

Our Temecula, CA dentist’s office is prepared to help patients when they struggle with bruxism. If you have this problem and want to address it, or if you are trying to deal with the effects of it on your teeth, let us know! To reach our practice, or one of our other locations to near you, we can be reached at the following:

Oasis Family Dental in Temecula, CA at (951) 695-2290.

Riverside Dental Group at Magnolia in Riverside, CA at (951) 689-5031.

Dental Associates of Moreno Valley in Moreno Valley, CA at (951) 697-6800.

Riverside Dental Group at Woodcrest in Riverside, CA at (951) 776-9001.

Dental Associates of Riverside in Riverside, CA at (951) 369-1001.

Dental Associates of Corona in Corona, CA at (951) 273-9580.