To some, the last few years have been stressful. Within the dental profession, patients presenting with stress related dental conditions have increased during the past two years. A poll through the American Dental Association found that over 70% of dentists had observed an increase in patients who were clenching and grinding their teeth.

Why do dentists care about clenching and grinding? Clenching and grinding can cause the following:

- jaw pain/muscle pain

- cracked or fractured teeth or fillings

- tooth wear/sensitivity

While mindfulness and retraining yourself from clenching or grinding your teeth during the day can be helpful, in many cases the use of a night guard is helpful.

If you think you might be clenching or grinding, Dr. Hollingdale can speak to you about the benefits of a custom night guard.