{"id":335,"date":"2023-01-19T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theoakbrookdentist.com\/blog\/?p=335"},"modified":"2023-02-27T23:48:36","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T23:48:36","slug":"teeth-grinding-makes-you-look-older","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theoakbrookdentist.com\/blog\/2023\/01\/19\/teeth-grinding-makes-you-look-older\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does Teeth Grinding Age Your Face?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Like many people, you may grasp that tooth stains age your face. It makes sense in hindsight \u2013 a dirty, yellow smile can seem haggard and worn out. That said, did you know that teeth-grinding makes you look older too? Indeed, a short, flat tooth<\/a> can appear as aged as a yellow one. Still, there is hope: your local dentist can help you keep this habit in check. To that end, here\u2019s a summary of how grinding teeth ages you and ways to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Does Grinding Your Teeth Age You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Overall, grinding your teeth ages you in two ways. The first is by making your teeth visibly shorter and flatter. Meanwhile, the second is by causing facial sagging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short, flat teeth look worn out. It\u2019s natural that they do \u2013 they\u2019ve lost much of their enamel. The result is that your pearly whites seem as if they\u2019ve weathered many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding insult to injury, the tooth erosion caused by grinding also causes your face to sag. Your lips, for example, might start to sink inward while the distance between your nose and chin shortens. Naturally, these changes can make you seem older than you really are<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can You Fix the Issue?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, it\u2019s possible to prevent grinding\u2019s age-related effects. Just remember to do the following things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wear a Night Guard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While no known cure for bruxism exists, you can control its damage. A nightguard would dissipate the force of your grinding through itself. As a result, you\u2019d keep your teeth from undergoing excess wear and tear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If possible, try to opt for a dentist-made nightguard instead of over-the-counter varieties. Unlike the latter, the former would be custom-made and perfectly fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid Certain Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certain foods can worsen the effects of grinding by wearing your teeth down. That being the case, try to avoid risky ones like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n