is sleeping; complaints of a sore jaw or face when waking up; and
pain while chewing. BY DR. EDMOND SUH
DON'T STRESS ... SMILE!
THE IMPACTS OF STRESS ON
DENTAL HEALTH
Our world has been a very diffff erent place the last few
months. While we all experience our share of normal life
stress, the added COVID-19 stressors like employment
concerns, social distancing, face masks, and feelings of isolation
have intensififi ed the stress levels in most of our lives.
Stress, especially now, can dramatically impact your smile. As a result of increased stress, many people experience
grinding and clenching of their teeth,
known as bruxism. Th is can occur while awake
or asleep and oft en happens without the realization
that it’s happening.
Clenching teeth is simply gritting your teeth together, while grinding
is moving your teeth back and forth, generally front to back.
Both clenching and grinding can lead to dental problems such as
the fracture of a tooth, pain in your jaw joints (TMJ), and even
bone loss around the root of your tooth.
Many people primarily grind or clench their teeth at night. Th e
extended amount of time this occurs while sleeping increases the
likelihood of dental problems. Some indications that you may be
grinding or clenching while you sleep include waking with the following
symptoms: facial pain that can include swelling; headaches;
earaches; pain and stiff ness in the jaw joint (TMJ); worn-down
enamel on the teeth; broken, chipped teeth or fi llings; sensitivity of
the teeth; and loose teeth.
Bruxism is not limited to adults and can also aff ect children.
Th is can occur in response to pain resulting from teething, earaches,
or when children feel stressed. It can also happen when
their teeth are misaligned. While most children outgrow bruxism
when they lose their baby teeth, a custom fi t mouth guard
can prevent damage of their permanent teeth. Some symptoms
you may observe if your child is experiencing grinding or clenching
of his or her teeth include: grinding sounds when he or she
52 CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com
/www.circamagazine.com
/wakeforestdowntown.com