{"id":641,"date":"2019-11-19T15:31:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T15:31:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pvcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/?p=641"},"modified":"2019-11-19T15:31:54","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T15:31:54","slug":"how-holiday-stress-can-hurt-your-oral-health-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pvcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/2019\/11\/how-holiday-stress-can-hurt-your-oral-health-and-what-to-do-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"How Holiday Stress Can Hurt Your Oral Health (and What to Do About It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you\u2019re young, the holidays are a magical and fun time of the year, but as an adult, they can be quite stressful<\/em>. Rather than just going <\/em>to holiday parties and on trips to see friends and family, you\u2019re the person who has to organize them, and that\u2019s not even touching on getting the right gifts for everyone! Holiday stress can manifest itself in many ways, but one of the most common is a condition called bruxism. Over time, it can cause the teeth to crack, break, and even strain the sensitive jaw joint! What is it? How can you make sure it doesn\u2019t ruin your holiday and New Years? A dentist shares everything you need to know in today\u2019s blog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Bruxism: Your Smile\u2019s Silent Enemy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For some people, when they get stressed around the holidays,\nthey start tapping their foot or nibbling on their fingernails without\nnoticing. Fortunately, these habits are relatively easy to stop. Bruxism, on\nthe other hand, can be much trickier. It\u2019s the clinical term that refers to unconscious\nteeth grinding while someone is asleep, and it affects as many as 1 in 3\nAmericans every night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While bruxism can often be the result of a misaligned bite\nor even sleep apnea, the primary cause tends to be daily stress that follows\nsomeone into their bed. Instead of resting, the jaw muscles constantly move\nthroughout the night, forcing the teeth to grind together. This can lead to a\nvariety of unpleasant symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n