Bruxism

Bruxism is the habitual grinding or clenching of teeth in such a way that it causes damage to your teeth along with other health problems. It is a problem that can occur without a person knowing about it and it can occur both day and night. Sleep-related bruxism is a bigger problem than awake-related bruxism because it cannot consciously be controlled.

The cause of bruxism isn't exactly clear but many doctors believe it is related to being under stress. It all depends on how much stress you are feeling and whether or not your teeth are misaligned. Your ability to relax and your posture have something to do with bruxism and your diet can be related to having the disease. Your sleeping behaviours contribute to the problem as well. Everyone with bruxism is different and the doctor is charged with having to determine why the condition is occurring.

Symptoms of bruxism include pain in the temporomandibular joint, teeth that are ground down with pain in the mouth, jaw pain, depression, anxiety, earache and eating disorders. You can get headaches from bruxism and your teeth can be sensitive to cold or heat. Insomnia can be a problem related to a lack of adequate sleep because of stress and clenching your teeth.

The diagnosis of bruxism can be done by a dentist or a doctor. The teeth often look worn down and the temporomandibular joint can be tender and can click or make noise when opening and closing the jaw. The doctor or dentist will ask you about stress and mental health issues you may have. Stress is most closely related to having bruxism than other mental issues.

The goal of treatment of bruxism is to make you under less pain, to prevent damage to your teeth and to reduce clenching of the teeth. Pain is relieved by using ice or heat to the affected jaw muscles. You can also alternate ice and heat to the muscles. You need to avoid eating foods that are hard, such as nuts, candies and steak. You need to drink a lot of water each day and make sure you are getting enough sleep. Biofeedback can be learned which can control your body's reaction to stressors in your life. Physical therapy can help reduce the symptoms of bruxism and facial/neck massage can be used to get out trigger points that may be aggravating the system. You need to learn how to relax your face as much as possible. You need to reduce your overall stress level in order to control the disease.

Splints can be used to keep you from grinding or clenching your teeth, especially if this is something that happens during the night. Mouth guards can protect the teeth from damage. These have been in use in some form or another for the last 80 years. Some splints can fit over the top teeth, while others fit on the bottom teeth. Some are designed to relax your jaw so you don't feel the urge to clench your teeth in your sleep. One splint fits just over the front top teeth to keep the molars from touching each other when you sleep. You can also have an orthodontist use braces to fix your bite so that you don't have the urge to grate your teeth. Surgery can be done as a last resort.

Bruxism is not dangerous but it can ruin your teeth. It can give you chronic headaches or jaw pain and will need medical attention to control the symptoms. Complications of bruxism include feeling depressed, feeling anxious, having an eating disorder, having TMJ disease and having insomnia. It can also interfere with the sleep abilities of your roommate or sleeping partner.