Better known as grinding or gnashing of the teeth, Bruxism according to Elizabeth Kilpatrick-Fox, DMD is a condition that can happen either when a person is a sleep or awake. In both situations the grinding action wears down the teeth prematurely, which can then cause tooth problems as the protective enamel is worn off. Where a person has a dental work done, the harder surface of natural teeth can also cause premature failure of fillings and crowns as well.
Background
The day condition is known as the standard Bruxism and the sleep version known as, aptly, Sleep Bruxism. It often occurs unconsciously, even when a person is awake, due to a variety of reasons. Because they see it far more regularly, dentists performing dental exams will likely be the first to diagnose the condition in a patient.
Causation
The causes of Bruxism vary but some of them are also predictable. A number of them are also psychological, with the teeth acting out the physical manifestation of the mental issue. Causes can and often include:
- Emotional tension caused by frustration, anger, stress, or anxiety. The more chronic the emotional state, the more likely Bruxism can develop.
- A highly tense or high-performance personality which keeps the body on edge more than normal.
- A bad alignment of the upper and lower jaws.
- Stomach or ear pain, which can cause grimacing due to the pain effect.
- Acid reflux.
- A physical reaction symptom when using certain psychiatric drugs.
- A method of coping with challenges or focusing.
- A physical symptom of degenerative conditions that cause a loss of awareness or control such as Parkinson's Disease.
There some predetermined conditions that can make Bruxism more likely in a patient. The more common ones are:
- Age - young children are prone to grinding their teeth as the feeling is new to them.
- Drugs or stimulants - Those taking chemicals or drugs, many that are illegal, can start to develop Bruxism when addiction or withdrawal symptoms kick in between dosing.
Why Attention is Needed
Because of what the ongoing damage that Bruxism can do to one's teeth, interrupting the cycle is critical to allow the damage to be healed and worse risks to be avoided. Not addressing the matter will allow more dental harm to occur. It can also be a contributor to tension headaches and even migraines in some cases. Facial pain is a frequent secondary result of Bruxism, and severe cases can develop into disjointed jaw positions which create an even worse cycle of damage and internal pain.
Many adults think that there teeth are hard enough so there's no need to address the matter. While natural teeth are extremely dense and strong, they too can eventually crack. Worse, the removal of the enamel surface from grinding can let cavities develop far faster, which in turn compromises the integrity of the teeth. So assuming adult teeth are able to handle ongoing pressure day and night is a fallacy and can result in worse damage.
Treatment and Prevention
The methods of dealing with Bruxism are often two-fold. The most direct are those that deal with the grinding effect itself. The second approach deals with the causes of the condition. For the grinding, mouth guards and splints are often used to prevent further damage. The biting may still occur, but the damage has been arrested. For the causes, psychological or counseling is often the path to alleviate the drivers. This could include stress management, drug addiction treatment, anger management, sleep apnea treatment or more. The specific approach depends on a doctor's diagnosis of all the facts and details for a given patient and which treatment best addresses the specific situation.
If you're feeling regular pain in your jaw, waking up with headaches, or your find yourself clenching your teeth a lot, then a Bruxism condition may have developed. A dentist can easily confirm the situation in your next dental visit, so be sure to ask about it. Once identified, a dentist or a specialist can then determine the right path for a restorative response to your specific situation.
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