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Teeth grinding (Bruxism)

Teeth grinding (Bruxism)

Alternative Names

Bruxism

What is Teeth grinding (Bruxism)

Teeth grinding is a health condition and most people are unaware that they are grinding or gnashing their teeth because it frequently occurs at night. Teeth grinding is clinically referred to as Bruxism. Using a doctor's definition, bruxism is the unconscious grinding of one's teeth, which could happen during the day or at night. This condition usually occurs when one is too tense or anxious about something.

Bruxism affects adults and children and, although not usually a serious medical problem, it can wreak havoc in the mouth - causing teeth to loosen and become painful. Parts of the teeth sometimes break having been ground away completely. This can lead to jaw joint disorders, pain, headaches, earaches, damaged teeth and abrasions in the mouth.

Signs and symptoms

Teeth grinding affects people in different ways. Some of the short-term effects go away when you stop grinding your teeth. But some can be long-lasting.

Short-term effects of bruxism include:

Most people have teeth-grinding habit but have no symptoms.
For others it can affect their sleep as well as their bed partner's sleep.
Some people with bruxism may develop headaches, an aching jaw and facial muscles, earache or tightness and stiffness in the shoulders.

Long-lasting effects of bruxism include:

Worn and cracked teeth - this can lead to the need for dental treatment, an infection or dental abscesses if not treated
Tooth sensitivity
Pain and stiffness of the jaw joint (known as temporomandibular joint disorder)

Possible complications

Sometimes bruxism doesn't cause serious complications. But severe teeth-grinding may lead to:

Damage to your teeth (including restorations and crowns) or jaw
Tension-type headaches
Facial pain

Temporomandibular disorders — which occur in the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), located just in front of your ears and felt when opening and closing your mouth

What causes

Causes of teeth-grinding are not exactly known, but a combination of factors may contribute to the problem. Factors that could cause bruxism symptoms include:

Anger, pain or frustration
Anxiety, stress or tension
Certain personality types (particularly, aggressive, competitive or hyperactive personalities)
Malocclusion (teeth that are not aligned properly)
Posture
Diet and sleeping habits

Prevention

Teeth grinding can be prevented with the use of a mouth guard. The mouth guard, supplied by a dentist, can fit over the teeth to prevent teeth from grinding against each other. Stress reduction and other lifestyle modifications, including the avoidance of alcohol and caffeine, may also be helpful.

Treatment

There are different ways of bruxism treatment and the main aim is to alleviate pain, prevent permanent damage to teeth and change teeth clenching behaviors as much as possible.

Consult your dentist if you suspect that you may be suffering from teeth grinding. The dentist would most likely recommend a mouth guard to prevent teeth grinding together.

Solutions for teeth grinding include surgery but it can be recommended in extreme cases. Medications administered to treat this condition are usually muscle relaxants or mild sleeping aids.

Other solutions for it are natural and alternative therapies which have proven to be beneficial in reducing the teeth grinding symptoms. These therapies include: