Bobby Ward is in his early 30's, but his teeth tell a different story. He grinds them, so they are now worn down beyond their years.
"I noticed that I have damage to particularly my lower teeth from grinding them at night and muscle soreness in the mornings," Ward says.
Bruxism, or teeth grinding or clenching, may be caused by stress, misaligned or missing teeth or sleep problems.
Dentists say there are two types of bruxism. There's clenching and then there's other people that do a combination, clenching and then grinding.
Because it often happens at night, many patients aren't aware of the habit until they start feeling symptoms such as teeth pain, jaw soreness and headaches.
Managing stress may help some patients but many, like Bobby, may also need a custom made mouth guard that's worn at night.
Also remember to see a dentist regularly, so the problem can be caught early.
"I noticed that I have damage to particularly my lower teeth from grinding them at night and muscle soreness in the mornings," Ward says.
Bruxism, or teeth grinding or clenching, may be caused by stress, misaligned or missing teeth or sleep problems.
Dentists say there are two types of bruxism. There's clenching and then there's other people that do a combination, clenching and then grinding.
Because it often happens at night, many patients aren't aware of the habit until they start feeling symptoms such as teeth pain, jaw soreness and headaches.
Managing stress may help some patients but many, like Bobby, may also need a custom made mouth guard that's worn at night.
Also remember to see a dentist regularly, so the problem can be caught early.
