I am now 57 & was grinding my teeth all my life. My teeth were bad from the beginning from antibiotics & high temperatures from being sick when my permanent teeth were forming, so there is hardy any enamel on my teeth to start with. Mouth guards weren't hear of when I was growing up (a new thing for all you younger people).

When I went to the pain psychologist that my pain specialist sent me to in order to treat me with the pain medication for my migraines, he told me that it is something that taking AD's will also cause, so on top of the anorexia that I was dealing with even though that was after I was 40, & the AD's that were shoved on me to try to find something that might work, my teeth are now all broken & every cap that I had on the teeth that had been broken have all broken off.

I am waiting for enough money to have all my teeth pulled & get dentures as that is the only solution at this point.

The thing is also that one dentist told me that the bumps on the back of my lower gum on either side was from grinding my teeth & also has to be removed before they can fit my mouth with dentures.

My parents had no idea that there could be anything that might help the teeth grinding & there was no offer of any solution when I was young enough to make a difference. I remember having dreams when I was grinding my teeth of all my teeth falling out of my mouth....little did I realize that was a premonition of what was going to happen.

So until I can afford to have my teeth all pulled (having no insurance & medicare doesn't pay for dental anything), I eat soft food & try not to choke of anything that I can't chew. My parents told me that if I didn't take care of my teeth they would all fall out....I took care & brushed all the time & I am still in this mess.

My dad also had bad teeth, so maybe I also inherited some of this bad also on top of everything else....it's just a huge mess that I am dreading having to deal with while living alone.

The mouth guard is definitely important to use if you have it as you really don't want to end up in the situation that I am in......do everything that you can to care for it as the results of doing nothing isn't good.

Eskielover (Debbie)