Although teeth grinding can be caused by stress and anxiety, it often occurs during sleep and is more likely caused by stress, abnormal bite or missing or crooked teeth.

Symptoms

• Facial pain
• Pain and stiffness in the jaw joint
• Disrupted sleep
• Earache

Causes

• Awake bruxism may be due to emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger, frustration or tension. Or it may be a coping strategy or a habit during deep concentration

Treatment

• Mouth guards

A dead tooth is a tooth that no longer receives blood supply. All tissues and bones in your body need blood to continue to function, and if a tooth does not receive that, then it dies.

Symptoms

• If your tooth is dead or dying, pain could range from non-existent to extreme.
• As far as the colour of the tooth is concerned, you may notice yellow, grey, or black discoloration.

Causes

• Infection
• Dental trauma
• Infection due to one or both of the above

Treatments

• Root canal treatment
• Extractions

Dental anxiety is a sense of uneasiness/apprehension when it comes to dental treatment. People have exaggerated or unfounded worries or fears. People with dental anxiety often put off routine care for years or even decades. To avoid it, they’ll put up with gum infections (periodontal disease), pain, or even broken and unsightly teeth.

There are varying degrees of dental anxiety. At the extreme, a person may never see a dentist. Others may force themselves to go but they may not sleep the night before. It’s not uncommon for people to feel sick — or in some cases, to actually get sick — while they’re in the waiting room.

Symptoms

• Anxious/apprehensive or having trouble sleeping the night before treatment
• Getting increasingly nervous while you’re in the waiting room
• The thought of a dental visit makes you feel physically ill
• Having trouble breathing when objects are placed in your mouth during a dental appointment

Causes

• Negative past experiences
• Poor sleep
• Fear of pain

Treatment

• Dental sedation

Gum diseases range from simple gum inflammation (gingivitis) to more serious periodontitis that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. If not managed could result in loss of teeth

Symptoms

• Red and swollen gums
• Gums that easily bleed while brushing and flossing
• Receding gum line
• Bad breath

Causes

• Plaque – a thick film of bacteria forming on gums and teeth that daily brushing, flossing and rinsing removes.
• Smoking
• Crooked teeth

Treatment

• Thorough Regular Oral Prophylaxis ( Scale and Polish)

Impacted wisdom teeth (or impacted third molars) are wisdom teeth which do not fully erupt into the mouth because of blockage from other teeth (impaction). If the wisdom teeth do not have an open connection to the mouth, pain can develop with the onset of inflammation or infection or damage to the adjacent teeth.

Symptoms

• Pain, swollen and bleeding gums
• Swelling around the jaw
• Bad breath
• Headache or jaw ache

Causes

• When a tooth doesn’t have enough room to come in normally, it is considered impacted. Teeth may become twisted, tilted, or displaced as they try to emerge

Treatment

• Wisdom teeth removal
• Operculectomy (electrosurgically cutting the flap of gum tissue from around the erupting tooth

Having sensitive teeth can mean anything from getting a mild twinge to having severe discomfort that can continue for several hours. It can also be an early warning sign of more serious dental problems

Symptoms

• Tooth pain
• Tooth sensitivity

Causes

• Brushing too hard
• Dental erosion: this is loss of tooth enamel caused by attacks of acid from acidic food and drinks
• Gum Disease

Treatments

• Dental implants
• Dentures
• Bridges

Having sensitive teeth can mean anything from getting a mild twinge to having severe discomfort that can continue for several hours. It can also be an early warning sign of more serious dental problems.

Symptoms

• Sensitivity to hot and cold

Causes

• Brushing too hard
• Dental erosion: this is loss of tooth enamel caused by attacks of acid from acidic food and drinks.
• Gum disease
• Tooth grinding
• A cracked tooth or filling

Treatment

• Fillings
• Crowns

Causes

• Tooth decay
• Tooth fracture
• Grinding teeth
• Infected gums

Treatments

• Fillings
• Extractions
• Root canal treatment