Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

Teeth grinding or clenching happens once in a while and does not cause any significant harm to your teeth. However, persistent grinding of teeth can affect your :

>Jaw muscles

>Teeth

>Temperomandibular joint, which connects your jaw bone to skull and helps in mouth opening and closing

This condition is called as BRUXISM.

Types of Bruxism

It can be either awake or sleep bruxism. Though the grinding action is similar, they are considered to be two different conditions.

AWAKE BRUXISM

• It happens during the day.

• Usually tied to emotional issues: anxiousness, stress, or anger.

• Self limiting condition when aware of it. Stress management and learning ways to become aware of the condition can help reduce its frequency.

SLEEP BRUXISM

• Clenching happens during sleep which may cause more harm.

• You may not get the help you need since you are unaware. The person sleeping next to you will know.

• Another challenge is they will not know how strong they are clenching their teeth while asleep. Hence, symptoms are more severe.

" The prevalence of Awake Bruxism in adults is reported to range from 22.1% to 31% while that of Sleep Bruxism was at 13%."

"Awake Bruxism tends to be higher for women."

Causes

• Stress and anxiety.

• Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

• Excess caffeine use (more than six cups a day).

• Abnormal teeth alignment.

• Sleep disorders

Symptoms and Signs

• Disrupted sleep.

• Headaches or facial pain, especially in the morning.

• Earaches.

• Painful or loose teeth.

• Sore jaw muscles and TMJ.

• Jaw clicking or locking.

• Teeth fractures.

• Wear on teeth.

• Pain with eating.

If any of these symptoms are present, consult with a dentist who will examine your teeth, jaw muscles, and TMJ.

Management

There are no medications to stop teeth grinding and treatment depends on the underlying cause.

Your dentist may fit you with a night guard. You put this customized flexible orthotic device in your mouth before bed. It protects your teeth, muscles and TMJs from the force created during grinding.

If there any derangements in teeth alignment, your orthodontist will recommend you for braces or aligner therapy.

Get regular dental checkups. A dentist can treat problems from teeth grinding as soon as possible, so you can avoid long-term damage.

Certain lifestyle changes can help in managing bruxism like:

• Exercise and meditation.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking.

• Reduce caffeine intake.

Teeth Grinding in Children

Like adults, children can have bruxism. Parents may hear their children grinding their teeth in their sleep. But bruxism in children may not lead to long-term damage. Children’s teeth and jaws change quickly, and they may outgrow bruxism by the time they lose their baby teeth.

While stress is a main cause of bruxism in adults, that’s not usually the case with children. Teeth grinding in children may come from:

• Allergies.

• Misaligned teeth.

• Mouth irritation.

• Obstructive sleep apnea.

• Heredity.

Bruxism is a self limiting condition and can be controlled based on its severity. See your dentist if you have any of the symptoms listed above or have other concerns about your teeth or jaw.