Bruxism

Bruxism is a common problem that has been faced by a number of people irrespective of their knowledge that they are suffering from Bruxism. This is commonly known as grinding of the tooth. The grinding of the teeth or clenching of the teeth is done as a result of anxiety. Some studies have pointed this activity as a habit. Other has yet pointed it out to stomach and digestive disorders. People grind their teeth, for the purpose of which, some of them make use of their incisors teeth yet others make use of their molars. People do it in the day or in the night while sleep; more often than not they do it sub-consciously. The nighttime activity goes un-noticed by the sufferer, and at times it is quite loud that they wake up their sleeping partner.

Causes:

Teeth grinding is a medical condition wherein a person unconsciously clenches his or her teeth, usually while asleep.Teeth grinding or bruxism, is not merely a habit. In fact, it is a condition that is currently being addressed by today's medicine. Doctors believe that bruxism is caused by a number of factors. Here are five examples of the common causes of teeth grinding.

1. Stress:
       Stress is the most common reason for bruxism. Most doctors suppose that stress is the primary cause of teeth grinding during sleep. Stress can disrupt a persons sleeping cycle. If a particular sleeping pattern is disrupted, the person ends up clenching their teeth unconsciously and intermittently during sleep. This is where a lot of researchers are currently focusing on, as this explanation is the one most common.

2. Frustration and suppressed anger :
      There are many instances that a person clenches his fist or teeth if he is very angry with somebody or something. Many psychologists believe that this is the reason why people clench their teeth during the day. Suppressed anger is wrath a person cant let out. This can be quite hard to manage. People who end up grinding their teeth in frustration or anger should consult with a qualified psychiatrist to address the problem.

3. Aggressive personality:
      This factor causing bruxism is related to anger and frustration. Just like the former reason, this one also deals with ones emotions. But unlike suppressed anger, aggressiveness is expressed anger. In this case, the person lets out all his frustration and anger towards the intended subject. This person may unconsciously grind their teeth in the process.

4. Abnormal alignment of teeth:
      The abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth is referred to as malocclusion. This is one of the physical causes of teeth grinding.Dental experts believe that if there is something abnormal about the structure of a persons teeth, they grind involuntarily against each other as they make contact. While this is another feasible cause of bruxism, it is yet to be confirmed with clinical studies.

Symptoms:

    Since teeth grinding takes place during sleep, it is nearly impossible to tell when you are suffering from it. Usually it takes a sleeping partner to inform the sufferer of his or her problem, and that is only because the teeth grinding is keeping the partner awake.

If you or your sleeping partner have noticed symptoms of teeth grinding, you should discuss it with your dentist, who can usually confirm teeth grinding with an examination. Your dentist will look for several signs of teeth grinding, including:
      chewed tissue on inside of cheek
      cracking of teeth
      earaches caused by violent muscle contractions
      flattened and worn-down teeth
      ground down teeth
      joint damage in the jaw or jaw tension
      headache in the morning
      loosened teeth
      pain in the jaw joint and/or muscles
      tooth sensitivity due to chipping of enamel.

Home Remedies:

Your teeth grinding habits could produce damaging effects not only to your teeth and gums but to the rest of your body as well. If you grind your teeth as you sleep, chances are, you are not getting the necessary amount of sleep that your body needs. And your sleeping companion suffers the same way that you do.

Therefore, it is very important that you treat teeth grinding once you realize that you have it. Ignoring the problem would only make it much worse. You can go to the dentist or the doctor to have your teeth and health analyzed. And to make sure that you experience relief in your condition right away, you can try these effective home remedies for teeth grinding or bruxism.

1. Munch on an apple, carrot, or cauliflower.
        Before going to bed at night, you can try chewing on any of these fruits and vegetables. Chewing is an exercise of your mouth and your gums. And it would definitely calm your mouth a little before you sleep. A calm mouth means reduced instances of teeth grinding throughout the night.

2. Use warm washcloth.
       Another way of relaxing the jaw muscles of your mouth is to put a washcloth dipped in lukewarm water around your face. Make sure that the washcloth runs from one side of your face to the other. Doing this would prevent your jaws from clenching. Head pains will also be prevented. Try to practice this every night before you go to sleep and you should be able to experience total relief from teeth grinding in no time.

3. Pamper yourself with a warm massage and a warm bath.
      Teeth grinding is usually triggered by a long day at the office. Stress from too much work is the main reason why you grind your teeth at night. To counter stress, allow yourself to enjoy a long warm bath before going to bed. You can also request for a warm massage right after. Doing all of these would relieve your body of stress and give you a good night's sleep.

4. Sleep on your back.
      There is no best position to keep your teeth from clenching other than lying flat on your back as you sleep. Sleeping on your sides would only increase the chances that you will do some teeth grinding activities during the night. Try to keep yourself from sleeping on your sides or on your stomach.

5. Drink warm milk or hot herbal tea before going to bed.
      If you have to drink something before going to sleep, make sure that its tea or milk. The warmer they are, the better. Never drink alcohol during the night. Doing so would only make you grind your teeth in sleep.

Reference: http://tip4stopgrindingteeth.blogspot.com/?view=magazine

Read More

Most Common Causes of Bruxism

          

Bruxism is a serious issue that comes from people grinding their teeth, usually at night while they are sleeping, but also during the day. Most of the time, the teeth's grinding is done unconsciously and the person is not aware that they are doing it.

This is especially true if you are grinding your teeth at night while you are asleep. There are a few ways that you can help take control of your bruxism so that you aren't doing it anymore, and most of those require some kind of mouth guard that you wear at night while sleeping.

The most common cause of bruxism is a misalignment of the teeth and jaws. This is pronounced in people that have an irregular overbite, or under bite, and can cause wearing or chipping of your teeth. If your jaws or your teeth are out of alignment, then there is a good chance that you will have some kind of bruxism in your life. Your dentist will be able to help you realign your teeth, and even your jaws, so that you won't have to worry about grinding your teeth at night any longer. It will cost you a bit of money, but it's worth it.

The second leading cause of bruxism is from stress. Everything in your life that causes you stress will eventually build up inside you and cause you to grind your teeth at night while you are sleeping. This is the body's natural way of releasing the stress that you have been building and your teeth will take all the damage. It is hard not to feel stressed these days, especially with the economic issues that are bombarding you everywhere you turn. However, there are some relaxation techniques that you can use to help relieve all that stress.

One of the last causes of bruxism can be pent up anger in your life. There are a lot of people that keep their anger inside and, when they fall asleep, that anger is transferred into your teeth by grinding. If you find that you have a lot of anger in your life, then the only thing you can do to stop your bruxism is to find some way of getting rid of anger.

Read More

Sleep Bruxism Information, Symptoms and Causes.

Sleep bruxism is also known as nocturnal tooth grinding. Sleep Bruxism is a sterotyped movement disorder characterized by grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep. This will cause the damage of the teeth. For many people, bruxism is an unconscious habit. The disorder has also been identified as nocturnal bruxism, nocturnal tooth-grinding and nocturnal tooth-clenching. The 8% of adults grind their teeth at night. Grinding can be noisy enough at night to bother sleeping partners. Like clenching, grinding can lead to jaw pain and other problems.

Eventually, bruxism can destroy the surrounding bone and gum tissue. In children sleep bruxism may be related to growth and development. It is a condition that affects both kids and adults. Sleep bruxism is a problem that affects 8% to 21% one of the U.S. population. The age for children is around 5 or 6. This usually occurs in the early part of sleep time. Sleep bruxism is believed to be related to changes that occur during sleep cycles in some individuals, and this is an active area of current research. The symptoms can cause temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ). Chewing is a complex neuromuscular activity that is controlled by reflex nerve pathways, with higher control by the brain.

Causes of Sleep Bruxism
The causes of sleep bruxism are physical and psychological also.

Dental problems
Suppressed anger
High levels of alcohol consumption
Stress
Masticatory muscle discomfort
Complications of Huntington's disease
Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism
Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inside of your tooth
Earache
Jaw muscle discomfort
Headache
Sore gums
Disturbed sleep
Eating disorders
Chronic facial pain
Increased tooth sensitivity
Treatment for Sleep Bruxism
Most cases of bruxism are mild and may never require treatment. Occasional bruxism may not be harmful but when it occurs regularly, it may be associated with moderate to severe dental damage, facial pain, and disturbed sleep. Unfortunately, people with sleep bruxism usually aren't aware of the habit, so they aren't diagnosed with the condition until complications occur.


Custom-made by your dentist to fit your teeth, the appliance slips over the upper teeth and protects them from grinding against the lower teeth. While an appliance is a good way to manage bruxism, it is not a cure.
Massage the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and face. Search carefully for small, painful nodules called trigger points that can refer pain throughout the head and face.
Learn physical therapy stretching exercises to help the restore a normal balance to the action of the muscles and joint on each side of the head.
Behavior therapy. Once you discover that you have bruxism, you may be able to change the behavior by practicing proper mouth and jaw position. Concentrate on resting your tongue upward with your teeth apart and your lips closed. This should keep your teeth from grinding and your jaw from clenching.
For severe and persistent bruxism, a dentist may prescribe an oral appliance made of soft plastic to protect the teeth.
Prevention for Sleep Bruxism
Get plenty of sleep.
Try to relax in the hours before bedtime to reduce stress levels.
Jaw aligning exercises may be necessary for the prevention of the sleep bruxism.
Dental exams are the best way to screen against sleep bruxism.
Avoid eating hard foods like nuts, candies, steak.
Using caffeine, tobacco, cocaine or amphetamines seems to increase the risk of bruxism.
Stress reduction and anxiety management may reduce bruxism in persons prone to the condition.

If you find yourself waking up with sore jaw muscles or a headache, you may be suffering from bruxism — the grinding and clenching of teeth. Bruxism can cause teeth to become painful or loose, and sometimes parts of the teeth are literally ground away. Eventually, bruxism can destroy the surrounding bone and gum tissue. It can also lead to problems involving the jaw joint, such as temporomandibular joint syndrome.

Bruxism is when you clench or grind your teeth.
Clenching means you tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together, especially the back teeth. Clenching puts pressure on the muscles, tissues, and other structures around your jaw. This can lead to jaw pain and soreness, headaches, earaches, damaged teeth, and other problems. The symptoms can cause temporomandibular joint problems

Bruxism involves any type of forceful contact between the teeth, whether silent and clenching, or loud and grating. Estimates vary regarding the number of people who suffer from this condition and range from 50-95% of the adult population. Approximately 15% of all children also acquire this condition. Many people are not aware that they have this condition because they grind their teeth at night while asleep, although bruxism can occur during daytime hours as well.
Causes of bruxism are unknown, one study links it with such factors as anxiety, stress, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, caffeine, sleep apnea, snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness. Importantly, psychiatric or psychological factors do not play a role in most cases. Use of certain medications, including amphetamines, are also associated with episodes of bruxism. Sleep apnea may also be related to sleep bruxism, and evidence suggests that treating sleep apnea can help alleviate sleep bruxism.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Characteristics of sleep bruxism include clenching or grinding of canines or incisors laterally or grinding of the molars. The friction is also occasionally accompanied with a loud grinding sound. Tooth damage and loss, as well as occlusal disease, can occur over time if the condition is severe. In addition daytime headaches, jaw pain, and atypical facial pain can also be an effect.

Dental problems Suppressed anger High levels of alcohol consumption Stress Masticatory muscle discomfort Complications of Huntington's disease Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inside of your tooth Earache Jaw muscle discomfort Headache Sore gums Disturbed sleep Eating disorders Chronic facial pain Increased tooth sensitivity Treatment for Sleep Bruxism Most cases of bruxism are mild and may never require treatment. Occasional bruxism may not be harmful but when it occurs regularly, it may be associated with moderate to severe dental damage, facial pain, and disturbed sleep.

Finding ways to relax — Because everyday stress seems to be a major cause of bruxism, anything that reduces stress can help-listening to music, reading a book, taking a walk or a bath. It may help to seek counseling to learn effective ways for handling stressful situations. Also, applying a warm, wet washcloth to the side of your face can help relax muscles sore from clenching.

Massage the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and face. Search carefully for small, painful nodules called trigger points that can refer pain throughout the head and face. Learn physical therapy stretching exercises to help the restore a normal balance to the action of the muscles and joint on each side of the head. Apply ice or wet heat to sore jaw muscles. Either can have a beneficial effect.

Read More

How To Stop Grinding Your Teeth ?

Do you find yourself tightly clenching your teeth in heavy traffic, at work, or while dealing with stressful situations? Does your partner complain you loudly grind your teeth at night? Though it may seem like no big deal, you could have a subconscious condition called bruxism. Brought on by stress and anxiety, bruxism not only causes jaw pain, headaches, jagged sleep, and neck and shoulder tension, it can also cause broken teeth, facial misalignment and other temporomandibular damage. 
Here are some tips to help you quit grinding your teeth.

Many people don't know they brux.

According to the American Dental Association, 95 percent of Americans grind or clench their teeth at some point in their lives, but more than 20 percent of Americans suffering from bruxism don't even know it. 

So how can you determine if you are a bruxer? You are likely suffering from the following symptoms: 

Headaches: If you wake up with headaches or have them after a stressful day, it could be due to your facial and head muscles being fatigued from all the teeth clenching and grinding. You may also experience ear aches. 


Jaw pain: When your jaw muscles are overworked, you can experience jaw pain as well as temporomandibular jaw disorder – also known as TMJ. 

Tooth damage: Worn down or loose teeth are extremely common. Some people grind their teeth with a force strong enough to crack a nut! Over time, this force can damage teeth, gums, and even facial alignment. 

Neck and shoulder pain: Your neck and shoulder muscles will compensate for your tired jaw muscles, resulting in you waking up with neck and shoulder tension and achiness.

What causes bruxism?
Stress and anxiety are most likely to blame. And, if you are a bruxer, you may notice that you experience more tension, aches and pains in your face, head, neck and shoulders on the mornings after days you experience a great deal of stress. 

Other factors may be jaw misalignment, crooked or missing teeth, sinus problems, sleep disorders, or a side effect of some antidepressants. 


Emotional factors, such as suppressed anger or having a Type A personality, may also exacerbate stress and bruxing.

The costs of bruxism

Dr Noshir Mehta, professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston and chairman of general dentistry and director of the Craniofacial Pain Center, says bruxism affects about one in 20 adults and approximately 25 percent of children. And it isn't without costs – even beyond dollars. 

"While there are no specific numbers as to the cost of bruxism worldwide, the cost of dental repair due to wearing or breakage of the teeth with the need for fillings, crowns, root canals and gum treatments is enormous. The overall cost of not treating nightime bruxism has generally been estimated in the many millions of dollars on a yearly basis," he explains. 

Having bruxism can negatively impact quality of life, too. The associated physical effects can disrupt sleep, cause performance problems at work or school, and result in daily pain and tension, which over time can even cause depression.

Bruxism impacts women and men differently
Dr Mehta says that bruxism affects men and women relatively equally but that the effects may vary. 

"Generally women tend to have more muscle tenderness and pain in their jaws and associated headaches. Men tend to exhibit more wear of the teeth and bulkier muscles of their jaws. The tendency may be related to the differences of muscle type and factors of hormonal balance between males and females," he says. 

Hormones are likely a huge factor in women being afflicted with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Research indicates that women, most between puberty and menopause, account for 80 to 90 percent of temporomandibular disorder patients. 


In addition,researchers at the the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a division of the National Institutes of Health, have documented a correlation between hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptive therapy with pain treatment, which may explain why more women tend to suffer symptoms and seek help for TMD pain.

Read More