Bruxism is a case in which patients involuntary grind or clench their teeth due to chewing muscle contraction. This is a fairly common disease that occurs in both children and adults, affected about 8% of the population. This phenomenon usually occurs when sleeping and sometimes even while awake. Dr. Franxois Unger (France) said that a person who has bruxism can grind his/her teeth continuously for 6-8 minutes at night when sleeping and 5-6 times in an hour.
1 / Common symptoms of bruxism
Patients with grinding teeth not only makes a grinding sound when they sleep, they also wake up every morning with an earache, temporomandibular joint and jaw pain with difficulty opening mouth or lower jaw. Depending on the severity of each case the surface of the teeth could be wared out, strong bite or clench can break the enamel, exposing the dentin lead to teeth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold food.
According to statistics, children have the highest rate of bruxism. However, this habit reduced as the child gets older.
- Children: 14-20% (according to Abe 1966)
- Young adult (18-29 years): 13% (according to Parinen 1994)
- Adults: 9%(Lavigne 1994 & Ohayon 2001)
- Elder (over 65 years): 3%(Lavigne 1994 & Ohayon 2001)
Children make up the highest percentage of bruxism
Symptoms of bruxism could be temporary. Most patients themselves did not notice the disease, but only when they visit a dentist or got told by a family member.
2 / Causes of bruxism
There are three main causes:
- Anxiety, depression
- Sleep disorders
- Brain injury
- Headache
- Temperament, aggressiveness
- Faulty bite joint due to: Development disorder between the teeth and the jaw, leading to no coordination between the upper and lower teeth. Interferences in the lower jaw's movement.
- Primary teeth in children (baby teeth).
- Missing teeth without treatment which leads to teeth deviation.
- Temporomandibular disorders which lead to muscle spasms.
- Mouth breathing.
- Tonsillar hypertrophy
- Using stimulants (drug, coffee, cigarettes, etc)
- Side effects of drugs (antidepressants, sleeping pills, etc)
3 / The consequences of bruxism
Bruxism will emit a sound when sleeping, which affects the people sleeping in the same room. Chronic bruxism can badly harm your teeth, such as causing teeth erosion and sensitivity or loosen the teeth. In addition, it can break teeth, fillings, restorations, especially implants as well as causing headache, temporomandibular joint pain, limit mouth movement, jaw fatigue. In severe cases, it can cause bite muscle hypertrophy, which changes facial shape.
4 / Can long-term bruxism affect the nervous system?
If bruxism is caused locally/dental formation/locally, upper and lower jaws disorder then it is not severe to the point that causes mental disorder or uncontrollable behavior. Nevertheless, it affects the temporal system of the jaw: the temporomandibular joint, teeth, muscles and nerves that control the lower jaw.
However, It is the sleep disorder, long-term stress that cause mental problems. Bruxism does not lead to mental illness.
In this case, grinding can be a sign of a previous neurological/psychological disorder. Therefore, when bruxism is detected, it is necessary to note whether it is the cause of neurological/psychological disorders or not in order to care for the right problem, once the mental illness has been treated, bruxism will disappear with it.
5 / Methods of treatment
Depend on the cause of bruxism we have different treatment:
˗ Adjusting the interfered points or the obstructing points of the lower jaw
˗ Restoring or correcting deviated teeth
˗ Anti bruxism night guard is one of the most common solutions in the world, as it helps to relax the muscles, reduces muscle contraction of the bite muscles, protects the teeth from breaking, fixing the lower jaw bone in the right position.
Wearing a piece of nightguard before bed to minimize tooth wear
The results and methods may vary depending on the individual's condition
˗ Relax and reduce stress.
˗ Organize life in a logical way: balancing between work and rest, relaxation; balancing between social responsibility and family.
˗ If experienced stressful, depressed situations you should talk with friends, family or see a psychiatrist to get appropriate advice, do not let your stress, depression last.
˗ Improve sleep quality, creating a deep and good sleep, before bedtime, take a warm bath or shower, listen to soothing music, do not have too many activities or stuff yourself with food right before bedtime. Avoid staying up late.
- Reduce the consumption of stimulants: alcohol and cigarettes, etc.
- Utilizing muscle relaxants.
6 / Notes on the treatment of bruxism
Exercising your baby for proper sleep habits is also a way to treat gum disease
7 / How to prevent bruxism
Currently, there is no adequate treatment, however, there are some methods that can reduce or prevent bruxism such as:
>>> See also: Solution to grinding teeth grinding
Hopefully, the information above will help you better understand the disease and its effects. If you have any further questions, please contact:
NHAN TAM DENTAL CLINIC
Address: 801-809, 3/2 Street, Ward 7, District 10, HCMC
Hotline: 1900 56 5678
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