Bruxa, bruxa, bruxa?

Do you remember the silly jingle from the movie Grease? Brusha, brusha, brusha, use the new Ipana, or something along those lines. Well, here is a new jingle for you: Bruxa, bruxa, bruxa, use a mouth guard! Of course brushing is good for your teeth but bruxing is not. Take our multiple choice quiz below to see how much you know about bruxing and whether or not you may bruxa, bruxa, bruxa.  

Multiple Choice

1.Bruxism means:
A. Brushing your teeth too hard
B. Clenching and grinding your teeth
C. A and B
D. None of the above

2. Bruxing can be:
A. Good exercise for your jaw muscles
B. Damaging to your teeth
C. A good way to release stress
D. Both A and C

3. Bruxing can happen:
A. While you are sleeping
B. When you are stressed
C. When you are concentrating
D. All of the above

4. Chronic grinding and clenching can lead to:
A. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
B. Malocclusion (a bad bite)
C. Nerve damage
D. All of the above

Answers:

1. B: The word bruxism is derived from the Greek word meaning “a gnashing of teeth.”
2. B: Bruxing can be damaging to your teeth. It can wear down your front teeth, cause cracks, fractures, and breaks, loosen teeth, and cause gum recession.
3. D: Many people aren’t even aware that they brux because it only happens when they are sleeping. However, it can happen during waking hours, too. People often brux when they are concentrating, under stress, angry, or anxious.
4. D. If bruxing goes untreated, it not only can damage your teeth. It can lead to more serious problems such as nerve damage, TMJ, malocclusion, and tooth loss.

ABOUT YOUR ANKENY, IA DENTIST:

Dr. Peddicord offers a complete range of preventative, cosmetic, and restorative dental procedures as well as high quality dental prosthetics. Dr. Peddicord can answer your inquiries, and provide the services you need to maintain the health, beauty, and function of your teeth. To schedule an appointment at Peddicord Family Dentistry, please contact us at 515-963-3339. Our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office proudly provides general and cosmetic dentistry services to patients from Bondurant, Polk City, Elkhart, Alleman, and Cambridge.