For some, it’s working more hours than ever before even though you are working remotely—if you’re fortunate enough to be working. For others, it’s the day in and day out of mask-wearing, social distancing, and not seeing family and friends beyond a computer screen or phone. These figurative grinds have led many to actually grind their teeth—and grinding your teeth can cause some serious damage to teeth.
According to research, there’s been a 59 percent in teeth grinding and clenching during the year since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s one of several increases in dental conditions that have emerged during the pandemic. That includes:
- 53 percent increase in TMJ symptoms (including headaches and jaw pain)
- 53 percent in chipped and cracked teeth
- 30 percent increase in gum disease, which can lead to potential tooth loss as well as an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and serious Covid-19 complications.
- 26 percent increase in tooth decay and cavities.
“Under normal conditions, people grind their teeth. Add a pandemic and you can understand why it’s more prevalent,” said Dr. Wolfert. “For many of these patients, we’ve fitted them for mouthguards to wear at night. That seems to help quite a bit.”
Adds Dr. Wolfert, “As for the other conditions, it places even more emphasis on sticking to a checkup schedule of every six months. With the safety improvements we’ve incorporated at The Toothboss, as well as more and more people getting vaccinated, we’re hopeful patients can back to a regular checkup schedule.”
If you’re finding Covid a literal grind on your teeth, give us a call at 781-335-0604 and we can have look and see if a mouthguard is the right treatment for you.
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