Bruxism/Clenching/Grinding of teeth – Causes & Treatment

What is bruxism?

Excessive conscious & unconscious teeth grinding & jaw clenching of teeth is known as Bruxism. It is commonly seen in children’s. Childrens grinding their teeth unconsciously, when they are awake is known as ( awake bruxism ) & about 20- 30 %children’s clench or grind their teeth while asleep is known as ( sleep bruxism ).

People having a clenching & grinding habit while sleeping are more likely to have sleep disorders like snoring & difficulty in sleep known as ( sleep Apnea). Mild bruxism doesn’t require any treatment, but in some people, bruxism habit is so frequent & serves that may lead to jaw disorder or grinding of the teeth also.

Grinding can wear down the teeth making it blunt, shorter, or fractured, it may put excessive pressure on the muscles, tissues and over the jaw bone.

Sign & symptoms of bruxism

Sometimes people are even unaware about having this habit. When some family member or their dentist guides him after seeing his oral condition, then only they come to know about this habit

Loud sounds of grinding & clenching of teeth that can wake up your partner.
Wearing of tooth enamel surface and visibility of innermost layer called dentine.
Flattening or occlusal wearing of teeth.
Fracturing or chipping of teeth, filing & crown damaging.
Tightening of jaw muscle which causes difficulty while opening & closing of mouth ( TMJ ) associated problem.TMJ pain & discomfort.
Clicking or popping of jaw movements.
Increased tooth sensitivity or pain with hot & cold drinks & food.
Jaw, neck face soreness or pain
Mobility of teeth
Slight headache,
Ear arch, facial pains
Sleep disruption
Some other factors include -Anxiety, tension, stress, eating disorder, depression, sleeping disorder, insomnia

What are the causes of Bruxism –

Physiological & Emotional stress has been attributed as one of the major causes of bruxism.
Occlusal discrepancy or interferences in teeth, it is related to abnormal bite, in which upper & lower teeth are not able to meet properly when we close our mouth.
Periodontal pains, pericoronitis is said to trigger bruxism in some patients.
It can be a side effect of some medications like antidepressants, antipsychotics, and amphetamines.
Some neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease or Parkinson’s disease can also cause bruxism.
Other factors that may cause bruxism may be related to stress, fatigue, anger, smoking, alcohol, sleep apnea, snoring, etc.

How bruxism can be diagnosed?

After taking patients’ case history & clinical oral examination, your dentist will help you with the proper diagnosis. Your dentist will rule out the damaging of the enamel layer, wearing & chipping of the tooth surfaces, pain in the TMJ area, jaw, neck, face soreness , Increase in tooth sensitivity ,sleep disruption, stress, anxiety, damaging of the crown , difficulty in opening or closing of the mouth and many more. Wearing of the tooth can also be because of vigorous tooth brushing, so your dentist will help you to find the exact cause after seeing the condition of your teeth.Also the occlusal prematurities can be diagnosed .

One of the most reliable methods to diagnose bruxism is through electromyographic( EMG) measurements.These pick up the electric signals from masseter & temporalis muscle while chewing. This test is carried out to check the hyperactivity of the muscles of mastications

Can we avoid or prevent Bruxism?

Bruxism is a natural reaction to the growth & development of a child.Stress-related teeth grinding or clenching in children & adults can be prevented by some of the basic tips like-

Avoid stress.

Sit in a calm & relax mood at your bedtime.

Limits your Tv or electronic devices several hrs before your sleep.

Listen to calm music or some relaxing audios

Take a shower bath before your bedtime.

A stress-free life is the best preventive way to keep the bruxism away. If you are suffering from bruxism due to stress, try to discuss your problem with your friends & family members, try to remove your stressor from your life. Talk to your child regularly about their problems and help them to deal with their stress.

What is the Treatment for Bruxism?

Treatment for bruxism depends upon the sign & symptoms of the patient .It may vary from person to person. Some children who don’t have any major symptoms so they don’t require any treatment, but some people who are having grinding & clenching habits they require specially designed mouthguards by your dentist which you have to wear at night. In order to prevent clenching & grinding. These guards are especially made to fit in your teeth only. Sometimes stress is the factor for teeth grinding, in that case reaching to the root of the problem can help you, by doing proper counseling of the child .Many cases of bruxism are associated with emotional & psychological disturbance, thus appropriate psychological counseling by a psychiatrist may be initiated .Hypnosis, relaxing exercises & massage will help in relieving muscles tension. Occlusal adjustment can be done in order to eliminate the prematurities. Occlusal splints & Mouth guards that cover the occlusal surface of teeth will help in eliminating the occlusal disturbances.

Conclusion-

Bruxism is an unconscious neuromuscular activity that is most common in sleep disorder. Many people grind or clench their teeth during day and night time but people having sleep-related bruxism is a little difficult to control.But with various treatment options depending upon the signs & symptoms Dr. Ashish Gupta at Acme Dental lounge or your dentist will suggest you the proper treatment plan for bruxism.

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