clickety clack

[lilamp]

went to the dentist yesterday finally, after having had insurance again for a whole year... i kept putting it off because i was dealing with doctor stuffs and figured one health care provider at a time was enough or something. it had been like 3.5 years since my last visit to a dentist. i went to a new office that was recommended by a chix0r, and found it quite nice, and the people friendly and apparently competent, at least as far as i could tell from an initial new-patient exam. i have several cavities that should be filled, plus various cracked sealants and fillings that should be replaced, and i am desperately in need of a good cleaning (or possibly 2!), none of which was too surprising. what was surprising was that there is already noticable damage from teeth grinding/gritting. i've only been on the ssri for what, 7 months or so? i had thought the grinding had mostly subsided and that i wasn't doing too badly with it, but what i didn't know was how much damage can be caused by just clenching the jaw and putting pressure on the teeth. apparently some of my molars are getting chipped enamel just from this stress. the dentist told me to be diligent about not letting my teeth EVER touch each other unless i'm chewing, and since then i've been super aware of just how often i actually have to stop myself from clenching. it seems like all the friggin' time! i will have to get geoff to watch and see if i'm doing it in my sleep. when i was grinding audibly he definitely noticed, but i might still be clenching or grinding subtly, in which case i'll probably want to get a nightguard. fix one problem, cause another, eh. i guess i'd rather be happy with bad teeth than have a flawless mouth and be miserably depressed...

i brought a toothbrush and toothpaste to work today and brushed after drinking my coffee. go me! i did not, however, brush after having a soda following lunch. i shall go floss and brush right now!

Comments

[valdelane.livejournal.com]

I did that for years, enough so to nearly destroy my teeth. You probably need a splint to wear at night. Have your shiny new dentist make you one. It should be really fast (just biting into a generic one to shape it). Other than that, massage your chewing muscles several times a day (masseter, temporalis, lateral pterygoids) and/or get/do acupressure for TMD. *Hug*

[zare-k.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't know that could cause damage so quickly. I know I unconsciously clench my jaw quite a bit :-/

[lilamp]

well, it could also be the case that i'd been unknowingly doing it before...

[eviladmin.livejournal.com]

I am now motivated to start wearing my anti-grind guard more. As I sit hear realizing my teeth are tightly clinched and hurt when I let go....

Soft bristles, change often!!!

[kryscat]

I've been trying to train m'self not to clench my jaw (esp when going to sleep) for the last 2 years or so. I think I've been succeeding... I do really need to get a local dentist, though. No check-ups in almost 2 years. Bad KrysCat.

[thatgirljj.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, you can chip them pretty bad. It's not just about your jaw muscles. I have some serious chips in my front teeth from it. And I don't do it because of meds, I've done it all my life. Get a night guard! It helps a ton.

[surpheon.livejournal.com]

I've gotten to the point that I feel odd going to bed without my nightguard in (if not wearing glasses then wearing nightguard is my internal face-state definition). Although if I just get two more crowns (inevitable, the teeth are already cracked up), I'll be grinding gold on gold, so maybe I won't need to bother with a nightguard thingie :)

Nightguards can be really nice little beasties. Just remember to soak 'em in vinegar if they get crusty.

Did the dentist hit you up for 'deep cleaning,' aka root planing? That seems to be the current popular preventive.