Bruxism is the rather fancy medical terminology that describes the act of grinding or gnashing one’s teeth against each other. It belongs to the class of disorders known as OMDs (Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders). OMDs involve behaviors and patterns created by inappropriate muscle function and incorrect habits involving tongue, lips, and jaws, as well as the face. Bruxism is an interesting phenomenon because it is not limited to adults. Approximately 15% to 33% of children grind their teeth.
What are the forms in which bruxism
occurs?
Bruxism
may occur in the following forms:
●
Unconscious/Sleep
bruxism
●
Conscious/Awake bruxism
The forms
in which bruxism occurs are intelligibly named after the state of consciousness
under which one tends to grind or clench one's teeth. This means that sleep
bruxism happens when one is asleep while awake bruxism happens when one is
awake.
Sleep
bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder. Because grinding often
occurs during sleep, most people are unaware that they grind their teeth. Many
times, people learn that they grind their teeth from their loved one who hears
the grinding at night. However, it should be noted that a dull, constant
headache or sore jaw when you wake up is a telltale symptom of bruxism.
What leads to this condition?
Doctors
don't completely understand what causes bruxism, but it may be due to a
combination of physical, psychological and genetic factors.
Awake
bruxism may be due to emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger, frustration or
tension. It may also be a coping mechanism for deep concentration. While Sleep
bruxism may be a sleep-related chewing activity associated with arousals during
sleep.
Certain Risk
Factors can also expose one to bruxism. This includes:
●
Stress.
●
Age.
●
Personality type.
●
Family history of bruxism.
●
Medications (Bruxism may be an uncommon side effect of certain
antidepressants.
●
Smoking tobacco, drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol, or
using recreational drugs may increase the risk of bruxism.)
●
Other disorders: Bruxism
can be associated with medical disorders such as Parkinson's disease, dementia,
gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), epilepsy, night terrors, sleep apnea
and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Why Is Teeth Grinding Harmful?
Mild
bruxism may not have any effects. However, bruxism can sometimes be frequent
and severe enough to lead to:
●
Flattened, fractured and/or chipped teeth
●
Overdevelopment of the masseter muscles with bilateral
enlargement.
●
Loose teeth
●
Worn tooth enamel
●
Increased tooth pain and/or sensitivity
●
Tired or tight jaw muscles, or a locked jaw that won't open or
close completely
●
Jaw, neck and face soreness
●
Pain that feels mimics an earache, though it's actually not a
problem with your ear.
●
Tension-type headaches starting in the temples.
●
Damage from chewing on the inside of your cheek.
●
Sleep disruption.
●
Gum recession.
●
Damage to the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), located just in
front of your ears which may sound like clicking when you open and close your
mouth.
What can be done about bruxism?
In many
cases, treatment isn't necessary as many kids outgrow bruxism and many adults
don't grind or clench their teeth badly enough to require therapy.
Children
who grind their teeth tend to do so at two peak times- when their baby teeth
emerge and when their permanent teeth come in. Most children lose the teeth
grinding habit after these two sets of teeth have developed fully.
If the condition is severe, OMDs are usually treated via the
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) a program used to retrain the patterning
of the oral and facial muscles through unique exercises and techniques. More
common treatments include:
●
Splints and mouth
guards:
These are designed to fit over your upper or lower teeth which keeps the teeth
separated to avoid the damage caused by clenching and grinding.
●
Dental correction: In severe cases — when
tooth wear has led to sensitivity or the inability to chew properly — your
dentist may need to reshape the chewing surfaces of your teeth or use crowns,
veneers and dentures to repair the damage.
●
Stress or anxiety management strategies
●
Behavior change.
●
Biofeedback: If you're having a hard
time changing your habits, you may benefit from biofeedback, a method that uses
monitoring procedures and equipment to teach you to control muscle activity in
your jaw.
●
Medications: Your doctor may
recommend short-term use of antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, muscle
relaxants and Botox injections.
●
Oro-motor chewing appliance also can be used to cushion and
protect the buccal, lingual, and occlusal surfaces of the teeth.
Finally, it is common knowledge that
these options may not terminate one's bruxism situation entirely. However, they
definitely prevent the damage to the teeth from getting worse. They also tend
to relieve symptoms like headaches, jaw pain, sleep disruption and discomfort.
Therefore, to obtain the best results when tackling bruxism, one's doctor must
first be consulted to determine which treatment option is optimal.
1. Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy (4th Edition-2016) by Margatet J.
Fehrenbach, RDH, MS.
2. Dental
Health and Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) an article medically reviewed by Evan
Frisbee, DMD on July 29, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-grinding-bruxism#:~:text=Approximately%2015%25%20to%2033%25%20of,have%20come%20in%20more%20fully.