We have probably heard many times that when life was difficult, we gritted our teeth and got through it. It is believed that many people clench their teeth when they feel stress, anxiety or when making decisions. However, we all do it to varying degrees. If we are more sensitive, we feel constant tension at work or in life in general. At night, stress is less controllable and can manifest itself in teeth grinding. The exact cause of this phenomenon is unknown. It is believed to be a phenomenon of the central nervous system or a form of sleep disorder. However, most agree that psychological stress is the determining factor.

Constant clenching or grinding of the teeth causes them to wear down more quickly and leads to pain in the chewing muscles and jaw joints (see “Treatment of chewing muscle and jaw joint disorders”).

We are not aware that we grind or clench our teeth frequently. This is indicated by a specific pattern of tooth wear: the parts of the teeth that do not normally come into contact when chewing, i.e. the biting edges of the front teeth, are worn down.

If you notice that your teeth are wearing down or that there are multiple chips in the crowns, that fillings or artificial crowns are loose or broken, you should immediately consult a competent dentist. In most cases, the worn areas are restored and protective mouthguards are made. It is essential to protect natural teeth from wear. Otherwise, a vicious circle forms: teeth wear down, need to be restored, and fillings and dentures also wear down and crack.

Therefore, the cause of teeth grinding is usually found elsewhere, not in the mouth. In most cases, worn teeth can probably be considered a consequence of our fast-paced civilisation. We work, think and analyse so much that we no longer notice what our body is doing at that moment, how tense it is. We need to constantly learn to control the tension in our lives. We should analyse our daily routine: slow down the pace of life, try to change our attitude towards circumstances that cannot be changed. We should try to feel as little tension as possible and shorten its duration. It is very useful to gradually develop the ability to notice the position of your teeth (the normal position is with the lips closed and a small gap between the teeth). In more severe cases, the assistance of a psychologist may be helpful. It is very difficult to learn to detect when you are tense, but it is worth trying, because it is not only the chewing muscles, joints and teeth that suffer. According to the World Health Organisation, 80% of diseases are related to stress.

With daily effort, it is possible to learn to control the force of teeth clenching during the day, but at night everything happens unconsciously. Therefore, various types of mouthguards are made to protect the teeth at night. If there are many restored teeth in the mouth, the use of a mouthguard at night is necessary to protect dentures or fillings.

To date, no universal remedy has been found to completely eliminate teeth grinding. Only its effects can be mitigated.

If you feel pain in your face near your ear, cheek, jaw, jawbone, jaw joint, or side teeth, but dentists cannot find the faulty tooth, it is highly likely that the source of the pain is your chewing muscles or joints.

What causes pain in the chewing muscles and jaw joints? We have probably heard many times that “when things got tough, I gritted my teeth and got through it”. It is believed that many people clench their teeth when they feel stress, anxiety or when making decisions. However, we all do it to varying degrees. If we are more sensitive, we feel constant tension at work or in life in general. At night, stress is less controllable and can manifest itself in teeth grinding. The exact cause of this phenomenon is unknown. It is believed to be a phenomenon of the central nervous system or a form of sleep disorder. However, most agree that psychological stress is the determining factor.

Constant grinding or clenching of teeth (see “Prevention of the consequences of teeth grinding”) leads to faster tooth wear (see “Prevention and treatment of tooth wear”), pain in the chewing muscles and jaw joints. Patients complain of headaches, facial pain (most often in the preauricular area), difficulty opening the mouth and chewing, and noises in the joint. If this is accompanied by malocclusion (misaligned teeth), the symptoms may worsen. This is similar to wearing unsuitable shoes: you have to walk a lot, but your shoes are poorly made, so your feet hurt. Previous head and neck injuries can contribute to the development of disorders of the chewing muscles and joints.

If symptoms of this nature occur, you should consult a competent specialist to determine the cause and receive help. Otherwise, a vicious circle forms: pain in the head, face or joints causes additional anxiety, i.e. fear of serious head-related diseases. Once the pain becomes chronic, treatment is less successful.

One of the main areas of activity at our clinic is the prevention of oral diseases. Oral disease prevention is a combination of measures that are applied both at the clinic and, most importantly, at home. Oral care at home should be as simple, quick and effective as possible. It should not become a tedious, mentally demanding routine that you constantly want to avoid. There is a wide variety of products available in pharmacies and supermarkets. We have therefore selected the ones we consider most suitable for our clinic. The most important selection criteria are scientifically proven effectiveness and substantiated naturalness.

Naturalness must be substantiated so that we do not become victims of green, organic, and indeed very good ideas that are promoted for commercial purposes. For example, which toothpaste should you choose: with or without fluoride? “Green” sellers will say that fluoride is a strong poison. It is a very active element of the halogen group which inhibits the body’s enzyme system, damages bones, sometimes even teeth, etc. Based on this statement, fluoride-free toothpaste is recommended for everyone, regardless of the condition of their mouth. This approach can only be summed up by the popular saying, “He heard the bells ringing, but didn’t know which church they were in.” Fluoride is indeed a toxic substance, but only when ingested in large quantities. However, when used in the mouth for three minutes while brushing our teeth, it does not cause any toxic reactions. Fluoride binds to tooth tissue and makes it significantly more resistant to decay. This has been proven by numerous scientific studies. Brushing your teeth with fluoride-free toothpaste does not reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Fluoride-free toothpastes clean teeth but do not make them more resistant to modern dietary habits (see “Prevention of oral diseases”). We constantly snack on foods that are high in carbohydrates. To avoid any unfounded speculation, it should be emphasised that this is based on data provided by independent experts. Fluoride should therefore be treated not as a general remedy, but as an effective medicine for local use against decay. Like all medicines, it should help the body with a weak, genetically determined link that the body cannot fix itself. As a medicine, it must be used properly. It is important that the fluoride content in drinking water is not too high. Fluoride toothpaste is not necessary for people who have no tooth damage or only have dentures fixed on implants. Children’s teeth should be brushed with fluoride-free toothpaste until they learn not to swallow it and to spit it out. Taking into account the possibility of accidental swallowing, the fluoride concentration in toothpaste depends on the age of the child.

Other ingredients in toothpaste are also important: it should not contain sodium lauryl sulphate or parabens which irritate the mucous membranes. If periodontal disease is diagnosed, toothpastes containing various medicinal herbs (e.g. tea tree, aloe vera) are recommended. When choosing oral hygiene products, it is advisable to consult a professional who will assess the individual condition of the mouth and help find the most cost-effective solution.

Poor hygiene is the main cause of many oral diseases. Paradoxically, regular improper brushing can severely damage teeth, especially the gums. Regular preventive oral health checks prevent the development of serious and costly oral diseases. Prevention always pays off.

The mouth is a food mill: crushed food particles inevitably accumulate on the teeth, between the teeth, under the gums and on the tongue. They promote the growth of bacteria and, along with it, fermentation and decay processes. This causes unpleasant mouth odour and leads to diseases of the teeth and gums.

Professional teeth cleaning is a preventive treatment where a dental hygienist removes any food bits (like plaque and tartar), polishes old, poorly restored teeth, and checks how healthy your mouth is. Most importantly, the patient is explained and shown how to properly maintain the cleanliness of their entire mouth using the appropriate products.

Cleaning the mouth is not just a simple brushing of areas that are easily reached with a toothbrush. The mouth is full of places where food residue accumulates. Therefore, a professional who is knowledgeable about the anatomy of the mouth should explain how even the most difficult-to-reach areas should be cleaned.

If long-lasting results are expected, professional teeth cleaning should be performed before any treatment of oral diseases, dental prosthetics or teeth whitening. This treatment is usually recommended at least once or twice a year. The exact frequency of professional teeth cleaning is determined by a dental hygienist, taking into account the patient’s ability to maintain oral health.

How do dental calculi form?

When teeth are cleaned improperly or insufficiently, especially if there are many poor-quality dental prostheses or fillings in the mouth, food residues accumulate in the form of a paste, known as soft plaque. After about a week, these soft deposits begin to harden due to the minerals in saliva, forming what we know as dental calculi. Food residues stick even more to the existing calculi, making it more difficult to clean the teeth and forming even larger calculi. The local gum immunity is no longer able to cope with the increasing amount of bacteria, and inflammation of the surrounding tissues begins.

Why is it necessary to remove dental plaque?

It has long been proven that soft plaque is the main cause of tooth decay and periodontal disease (formerly known as periodontitis) and related symptoms such as bad breath, bleeding gums and loose teeth.

How is professional teeth cleaning performed?

Calculi form both above and below the gums, so it is impossible to remove it thoroughly by yourself. In addition, special instruments (e.g. ultrasonic, manual) and knowledge of oral anatomy are required. Therefore, professional hygiene is performed by a dental hygienist or dentist. If the patient’s teeth and gums are sensitive, anaesthetic is used. Depending on the amount of plaque, cleaning is performed in one or more appointments. After removing calculi, teeth can be additionally cleaned using air abrasion and must be polished.

A special mixture of medical soda and water is used in the air abrasion method to remove pigmented dental plaque caused by smoking, excessive consumption of coffee, black tea and other staining foods. After this treatment, teeth become whiter and as clean as possible. This treatment is always recommended before teeth whitening.

Most importantly, during a preventive appointment, the dental hygienist should advise you on how to brush your teeth correctly (without damaging them), choose the right toothbrush and when to use additional dental care products: tongue cleaner, dental floss, mouthwash, interdental brushes or special dental floss for cleaning under dental prostheses. Daily oral care should be quick and effective.

Oral care products should be selected individually for each patient.

Can cleaning with special dental instruments damage teeth?

Neither toothbrushes nor special dental instruments damage teeth if used correctly.

Why did my grandfather’s teeth not decay even though he never cleaned them?

Let’s choose the most appropriate answer:

• My grandfather did not constantly snack on foods high in carbohydrates.
• His diet consisted mainly of unrefined, slowly digestible and non-sticky foods.
• He ate simple, fibre-rich foods that naturally clean the teeth: coarsely ground flour, vegetables, fruit, various seeds, meat and lots of dairy products. Sweet foods were rarely consumed.
• My grandfather belonged to the very small percentage of people who have genetically strong teeth.
• He never complained about his teeth, so they must have been healthy. He never went to the dentist, so no one knows exactly what the condition of his teeth was.

Preventive measures

One of the main areas of activity at our clinic is the prevention of oral diseases. Oral disease prevention is a combination of measures that are applied both at the clinic and, most importantly, at home. Oral care at home should be as simple, quick and effective as possible. It should not become a tedious, mentally demanding routine that you constantly want to avoid. There is a wide variety of products available in pharmacies and supermarkets. We have therefore selected the ones we consider most suitable for our clinic. The most important selection criteria are scientifically proven effectiveness and substantiated naturalness.

Naturalness must be substantiated so that we do not become victims of green, organic, and indeed very good ideas that are promoted for commercial purposes. For example, which toothpaste should you choose: with or without fluoride? “Green” sellers will say that fluoride is a strong poison. It is a very active element of the halogen group which inhibits the body’s enzyme system, damages bones, sometimes even teeth, etc. Based on this statement, fluoride-free toothpaste is recommended for everyone, regardless of the condition of their mouth. This approach can only be summed up by the popular saying, “He heard the bells ringing, but didn’t know which church they were in.” Fluoride is indeed a toxic substance, but only when ingested in large quantities. However, when used in the mouth for three minutes while brushing our teeth, it does not cause any toxic reactions. Fluoride binds to tooth tissue and makes it significantly more resistant to decay. This has been proven by numerous scientific studies. Brushing your teeth with fluoride-free toothpaste does not reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Fluoride-free toothpastes clean teeth but do not make them more resistant to modern dietary habits (see “Prevention of oral diseases”). We constantly snack on foods that are high in carbohydrates. To avoid any unfounded speculation, it should be emphasised that this is based on data provided by independent experts. Fluoride should therefore be treated not as a general remedy, but as an effective medicine for local use against decay. Like all medicines, it should help the body with a weak, genetically determined link that the body cannot fix itself. As a medicine, it must be used properly. It is important that the fluoride content in drinking water is not too high. Fluoride toothpaste is not necessary for people who have no tooth damage or only have dentures fixed on implants. Children’s teeth should be brushed with fluoride-free toothpaste until they learn not to swallow it and to spit it out. Taking into account the possibility of accidental swallowing, the fluoride concentration in toothpaste depends on the age of the child.

Other ingredients in toothpaste are also important: it should not contain sodium lauryl sulphate or parabens which irritate the mucous membranes. If periodontal disease is diagnosed, toothpastes containing various medicinal herbs (e.g. tea tree, aloe vera) are recommended. When choosing oral hygiene products, it is advisable to consult a professional who will assess the individual condition of the mouth and help find the most cost-effective solution.