Do you wake up tired in the morning? Or do you experience stiffness in the muscles around your mouth? Well, if so there is a good chance that you are suffering from bruxism.
Today, we are going to understand everything about bruxism.
In this article, we will know more about
- What is bruxism?
- How to identify if you suffer from bruxism?
- What are the causes of bruxism?
- How to get rid of bruxism?
What is bruxism?
Some people have the habit of grinding their teeth unconsciously at night during sleep. This habit of clenching while in deep sleep is known as bruxism.
This is the parafunction of teeth. It is unintended biting and chewing process that happens during deep sleep. Tremendous pressure is applied on the teeth which eventually affects the joints of our jaws.
How to identify if you suffer from bruxism?
Clenching of Jaws or bruxism is quite common in children and young adults. But it can be found in people of any age.
There are few things that you can look for to figure out if you are one of those who grind teeth at night.
Stiffness in the muscle of mastication.
Chewing and biting muscles are attached to the jawbone and the joints. So the parafunctional habit of clenching the jaws can lead to stiffness in a few or all of these muscles. If you are experiencing this kind of stiffness early in the morning then it is one of the warnings.
Pain in the joints of the jaw (TMJ)
Though there could be various reasons for the pain in the joints of the jaws, bruxism could be the one that we need to look for.
Tired or stressed out feeling in the morning
If you wake up tired in the morning, it could be because your muscles were functioning during sleep to clench the jaws.
Interruption in sleeping cycle
If you are experiencing a disturbance in sleep routine, or interruption in between along with any of the other symptoms mentioned above then you need to get yourself assessed for bruxism.
If you have flat, worn out teeth
Check out for attrited or flat teeth. This is could be the result of repeated grinding of teeth for a longer duration.
What are the causes of bruxism?
- Stress – one of the most important factors is long-standing stress. Clenching of Jaws is one of the ways of the body to cope up with stressful situations. This eventually damages joints and teeth.
- Interfering tooth contact – if any of the previous restoration or crown is interfering with natural bite it may induce a habit of clenching Jaws to have biting and chewing satisfaction.
- Anxiety – This is one of the factors that cause bruxism. In some cases, the body tries to react to situations by clenching its jaws.
- Transitional dentition in the case of children – in some cases when milk teeth are being replaced by permanent ones, the bite irregularities can cause bruxism.
How to get rid of bruxism?
The treatment for bruxism is highly dependent on the cause.
If it is simply because of the transitional dentition, it does not require any treatment.
The factors like stress and anxiety should be controlled by proper measures or professional guidance.
The hot pack application can relieve the stiffness of the muscles.
The night guard can be fabricated by your dentist to protect the teeth during clenching.
If the teeth are flattened and attrited, it needs a thorough assessment by the dentist to check the amount of attrition in teeth and deviation from the natural position of the jaw. After the assessment of the joints and the teeth, the bite is restored to achieve the most comfortable position of the joints.
If you need to get assessed for bruxism or have any other queries Visit our dental clinic.
For appointment you can always contact Microdent Dentistry.
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About Author:
Dr. Rohit Joshi is a renowned Dentist in Pune and has more than 7 years of experience in the field of dentistry. He is Mastered in conservative dentistry and endodontics. He also specializes in single-visit painless root canal treatment and aesthetic dentistry. He is always contributing his knowledge of dentistry through his blog. Learn More about Dr. Rohit Joshi.
