“Bruxism” is the term for grinding, gnashing, or clenching your teeth, generally, if you end up unaware of it. It is more common when persons are awake, but it could actually also occur whenever you sleep. Experts estimate that anywhere from 8% to 31% of adults have bruxism, depending on the kind of bruxism they’ve. It tends to occur less often as people age.
If bruxism is severe, it could actually affect greater than your teeth. Here’s a take a look at the forms of bruxism, the symptoms, and coverings.
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Signs of Awake Bruxism
Awake bruxism and sleep bruxism have similar signs and symptoms. It is simpler to turn out to be aware of awake bruxism, though each are subconscious behaviors (you do them without effort or awareness). The signs of awake bruxism include:
- Clenching the jaw
- Gnashing or grinding teeth
- Thrusting the jaw forward
- Worn, cracked, or damaged teeth
- Headache
- Jaw, neck, or shoulder pain
- Tooth sensitivity to heat and cold
Signs of Sleep Bruxism
Sleep bruxism, also referred to as nocturnal bruxism, is involuntary and sometimes considered a sleep problem. People may notice they feel pain within the jaw, neck, or shoulders after they awaken. Sleep bruxism tends to occur during certain phases of sleep if you end up sleeping more frivolously or transitioning from one phase of sleep to a different.
The signs of sleep bruxism include:
- Clenching of the jaw or teeth
- Grinding or gnashing of teeth
- Thrusting the jaw forward
- Worn, cracked, or damaged teeth
- Headache
- Jaw or shoulder pain
- Tooth sensitivity to heat and cold
What Causes Bruxism?
Underlying explanation why people grind or gnash their teeth include mood, behaviors, medical conditions, family history, and medications. Experts classify bruxism as primary or secondary, depending on the cause.
Primary Bruxism
Primary bruxism shouldn’t be related to a medical condition. Causes include:
- Stress or depression
- Tense, offended, aggressive, hurried, or competitive personality
- Family history of bruxism
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Smoking
Secondary Bruxism
Secondary bruxism develops in individuals who have certain medical conditions or take medications that will result in teeth grinding, including:
- Neurological conditions akin to encephalitis (brain inflammation), brain hemorrhage (bleeding within the brain), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or stroke (blockage of blood flow or bleeding within the brain)
- Medications, including the antidepressants Prozac (fluoxetine) and Paxil (paroxetine), anti-seizure medications, and a focus deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications
- Imbalance in neurotransmitters within the brain (chemicals that facilitate communication between nerve cells)
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Bruxism?
Over time, bruxism may cause:
How Is Bruxism Diagnosed?
Healthcare providers diagnose bruxism with the next methods:
- Dental examination: A dental exam looks for worn teeth or painful areas within the teeth or jaw.
- Medical history: The healthcare provider asks questions on tooth or jaw pain, fatigue, awareness of grinding, and whether your partner has noticed or heard teeth grinding at night. You could also be asked about neurological conditions and medications.
- Sleep study: You are observed and monitored during sleep to see when you grind your teeth or produce other signs of a sleep problem.
Your healthcare provider may rule out other possible causes of jaw, neck, or shoulder pain, akin to arthritis, ear infections, injury, or neurological conditions.
How Bruxism is Treated
Treatment relies on whether you experience bruxism whenever you’re awake or asleep bruxism and whether it’s primary or secondary.
Mouth Guards and Splints
If you have got sleep bruxism, you’ll be able to be fitted for a splint or mouth guard, which you wear at night to guard your teeth from damage. They are available in various designs, but they keep the upper and lower back teeth separated so the grinding doesn’t wear them down.
Splints are sometimes used to attempt to reposition the jaw. However, some experts imagine that splints may cause jaw damage, so concentrate on the professionals and cons.
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene techniques can show you how to sleep higher, which might reduce sleep bruxism. A study in children showed that it could actually be effective. These techniques include:
- Sleep in a dark, quiet, and funky room.
- Avoid coffee or alcohol near bedtime.
- Minimize mental stimulation near bedtime, including the usage of electronic devices.
Pillows are sold that claim to assist jaw pain from bruxism, but there may be an absence of evidence to support their use. Lying flat and not using a pillow may help.
Contingent Electrical Stimulation
Contingent electrical stimulation, or CES, uses a tool that senses when sleep bruxism occurs. It uses a low level of electricity (akin to a temporary impulse to the muscles) to chill out the mouth and jaw muscles during sleep. Two early studies showed some promise using this method.
Physical Therapy
If you have got muscle pain and stiffness from grinding your teeth that affects your face, jaw, neck, or shoulders, a physical therapist can show you exercises that show you how to stretch the muscles and joints to release tension and relieve pain. You can do the exercises yourself, as needed.
Self-Care
Steps you’ll be able to take to scale back pain and avoid damage from bruxism include:
- See a dental provider frequently to watch damage to your teeth and jaw.
- Apply cold packs or warm, damp cloths to ease sore jaw muscles.
- Massage your neck, shoulder, and facial muscles.
- Avoid gum and hard or dense food that requires loads of chewing.
Medication
If stress or depression is causing bruxism, antianxiety medications, sedatives, or muscle relaxers may help. Most should not meant for use on a long-term basis, so make certain you understand the professionals and cons of this approach.
Biofeedback and Alternative Therapies
Some treatments which have not been fully studied for sleep bruxism include biofeedback sessions, during which you view an electromyography (EMG) monitor, which detects when your jaw moves. You receive feedback in the shape of a visible or sound cue so that you simply turn out to be aware of the pattern.
It may also be used whilst you sleep, with a tool that sends sensations that wake you up whenever you begin to grind your teeth. Hypnosis is one other path to retrain yourself to avoid bruxism.
Botox Injections
A low-dose Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) injection to the jaw relaxes the masseter muscles, which you utilize whenever you open and shut your mouth. Botox can reduce incidences of teeth grinding, the pain it causes, and the force of grinding. The result’s temporary, lasting several months.
Treating Underlying Conditions
If you have got a neurological condition or injury that could be causing your bruxism, talk over with your healthcare provider about how they will address it.
Acid reflux can be related to bruxism, and each conditions can wear down the teeth. If you have got indigestion, talk over with your provider about what they recommend to scale back it.
How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth
If you have got bruxism, you’ll be able to take steps to make you less liable to grinding your teeth. One common treatment approach providers use is behavior modification, which reinforces positive actions, not negative ones.
Since bruxism is connected to tension and stress, learning strategies to scale back these aspects in your life may also help. Options include:
- Relaxation techniques, including meditation and yoga
- Counseling or mental health therapy can show you how to deal with and reduce anger, stress, or tension
- Noting whenever you grind your teeth and chill out the jaw to assist break the habit
Summary
Bruxism is grinding or gnashing your teeth while you’re awake or asleep. It can damage your teeth and cause jaw pain, headaches, or neck or shoulder pain. It may be attributable to stress, anger, tension, medication, or underlying medical conditions.
Treatments include devices to forestall teeth grinding whilst you sleep and behavioral therapies or counseling to show you how to break the pattern.
