235 North Northwest Highway
Palatine, IL 60067
Comfort Dental
5250 Grand Ave # 10
Gurnee, IL, 60031-1877
Cooper, Howard I D.D.S.
5101 Washington St # 2u
Gurnee, IL, 60031-2987
Dental Association Of S Ridge
6121 Washington St # 202
Gurnee, IL, 60031-5306
Dr. Warren Smith D.D.S.
36100 Brookside Dr
Gurnee, IL, 60031
Sensitivity to heat and cold. Loosened teeth, fractures, and a debilitating headache. All this can occur while you sleep - from grinding your teeth. Dentistry calls it bruxism.
Talk about shell shock. Dentists see evidence of life in the fast lane everyday. As many as 90 percent of us grind our teeth each night, on the average of five episodes per evening. The bite force is so powerful - over 200 pounds per square inch - and the noise so fearful, you cannot physically duplicate this phenomenon when you're wide awake. While you're sleeping, a lot of damage is being done that could be causing TMJ symptoms.
Bruxing seems to be associated with the REM stage of sleep, that never-never land where dreaming and rapid eye movement occur. There is some evidence that a bite out of alignment contributes to bruxing, but most agree stress is the problem. Or, even more alarming, the anticipation of stress.
Most people learn about a bruxing habit from the spouse who has to put up with it every night. More clues; waking up in the morning with jaw pain, jaw popping, jaw clicking, migraine or muscle fatigue and loose teeth.
Physical therapy, muscle relaxants and, sometimes, a custom dental appliance can help. But learning how to handle the stress in your life could salvage more than your teeth and help eliminate TMJ syndrome.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
One out of every 10 Americans suffers from chronic headaches, and they spend over half a billion dollars every year for over-the-counter medications to relieve their pain.
They never imagine that their headaches may be caused by TMJ, and that their pain is the result of a bad bite.
A bad bite can put your jaw-to-skull relationship out of alignment. When this happens, TMJ symptoms occur. This cluster of TMJ symptoms can include: headaches, earaches, ear ringing, loud jaw clicking, even stiffness and pain in the jaw, neck, shoulders and back. This cluster has puzzled doctors in the past. Now we can put a name to it: TMJ.
According to recent studies, more than 40 million Americans suffer from TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) or MPD (Myofascial Pain Dysfunction). The good news is dentists are taking the lead in finding solutions.
If you, or someone you love, suffer from the symptoms of TMJ, set up an appointment with your dentist soon. You may find that TMJ is the missing piece in the puzzle -- and, that the treatment works!
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
