Teeth Grinding's Horrifying FAQs

Grinding your teeth can be a real pain in the...mouth. It can lead to severe jaw pangs, teeth cracking, gum recession, and some gnarly and annoying sounds that wake up your bedmate. The New York Times published a piecedealing with the annoying nighttime habit. The following facts about sleep bruxism made me gasp.

During sleep bruxism, [Dr. Noshir Mehta, chairman of general dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and director of its Craniofacial Pain Center] explained, the upper and lower teeth may come into direct contact as much as 40 minutes per hour, and — for example, on the first molar — with a force of about 250 pounds. Hence the football player. Compare that with normal circumstances, when a person’s teeth make contact for about 20 minutes a day, while chewing, and with only 20 to 40 pounds of pressure.

Two-hundred and fifty pounds!!! How are my teeth still in my mouth?

On another dental note, I was at H&M the other day and my cashier said something to me only to reveal vampire fangs (and no, it wasn't Halloween).They weren't those plastic fangs you get at the store for a few quarters either, they were perfectly fit on her teeth like implants. When the F did this come into style?!

According tothis site, you can get temporary crowns that just pop on and off. Damn goths...