Here's What You Need to Know About Teeth Grinding
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Teeth grinding is also medically known as bruxism. It is a condition where people, irrespective of their age, repetitively grind, gnash, or clench their teeth subconsciously using the jaw muscle. While it is harmless if done occasionally, it adversely impacts the teeth and overall dental health when it becomes a habit.
Keep reading to learn more about teeth grinding:
Types
There are two types of grinding, both attributed to the same causes and have similar effects on teeth. But, it may require a different treatment approach.
Sleep Bruxism: It is a grinding condition that occurs when a person is asleep at night. Also known as nocturnal bruxism, sleep-related grinding is the most common but tough and challenging to control. People who grind their teeth during sleep at night are also most likely to suffer from other sleep disorders.
Awake Bruxism: As the name suggests, it happens when people unconsciously grind or clench teeth when they are awake. It is less common than sleep bruxism and simpler to diagnose and treat.
Causes
People grind their teeth for several reasons, including genetic, substance use, emotional, and physical. The actual causes vary in every patient, and some factors may make a person more susceptible to having bruxism.
In most cases, teeth grinding is triggered by stress, anxiety, concentration, suppressed anger, and frustration. Bruxism also occurs as a side effect of some medications used to treat certain psychiatric conditions, like depression. Children whose parents had bruxism are more likely to suffer from it.
Use of alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, caffeine, and illegal drugs may also increase the teeth-grinding risk. Certain medical conditions, like sleep disorders, misaligned teeth, dementia, traumatic injuries, epilepsy, hyperactivity, and acid reflux may also lead to teeth grinding.
Symptoms
Some of the common signs of teeth grinding include:
Loose, flat, chipped, or broken teeth.
Worn teeth enamel.
Chronic headaches.
Tooth sensitivity and pain.
Pain or discomfort in jaw muscles on waking
The sound of grinding disrupts the partner's sleep.
Ear pain, not related to infection or other issues.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.
Sleep disruption.
Snoring.
Treatment
It is essential to treat bruxism as quickly as possible as it causes severe long-term to the teeth and jaws over time. The treatment usually depends on the causes of teeth-grinding.
Mouthguard
Most dentists suggest a mouthguard as an effective solution to stop sleep bruxism. They offer teeth cushions that prevent them from grinding against each other and reduce jaw strain.
Medication
Medicines that help muscles relax and Botox injections have also proved effective in stopping teeth grinding. If bruxism is due to antidepressants, consult the doctor to change the dose or prescribe medicines that prevent teeth grinding risk.
Stress management and relaxation
Meditation, exercise, and other relaxing and stress management techniques or medication can treat teeth grinding associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Get help to resolve your teeth grinding
Teeth grinding is common both in adults and children and has many possible causes. Visit a dentist if you suspect teeth-grinding or experience any of the symptoms listed above. They will examine and suggest a suitable treatment option depending on the underlying cause of teeth grinding and clenching. Early treatment is critical to avoid significant dental and oral complications.
If you need a gentle, caring dental team, please call Jennifer Fineberg’s office at (623) 362-2550. We’ll give you the very best dental care we can!
