7 ways stress may be affecting your smile

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2. You may suffer with bruxism

“If you’re stressed and find that you’re grinding or clenching your teeth a lot more often than usual, you might be suffering with a condition called bruxism. Bruxism is essentially where people clench their teeth for periods of time during the day, as well as grinding them at night, which is more commonly known as sleep bruxism. Stress can cause constant worrying and over-thinking, which can affect your body when asleep and cause you to grind your teeth. The symptoms of bruxism are increased tooth sensitivity and a decrease of enamel on the tooth; jaw soreness and tight jaw muscles; loose or chipped teeth; a headache that is focused around the temples; and loud grinding of your teeth at night. Bruxism is mostly associated with stress, and many people find they develop it when they have a lot of things on their mind – but habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption and too much caffeine can increase your risk of bruxism. If you think you are suffering you should consult your dentist or GP to see if they can provide guidance.”

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