What is Bruxism

I got a bruxism since I was a kid. My teeth grinding while I slept at night. Of course I didn't realize it, my Mom n my sister told me. Sounds like I'm eating something ooppss!! Well, I thought it was normal but lately I foundly found that bruxism is some kind sleeping disorder. Then I start search and read an articles about it. What is Bruxism? Bruxism (Bruk-siz-um) is a condition which you grind or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth together during the day or grind them at night (sleep bruxism). In my case, I believe it's a mild bruxism, I grind only at night (but not every night), it's only happen when I'm so tired during the day. But still it's so not cool. Grinding can wear down your teeth. It can be noisy enough at night to bother sleeping partners.

Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep related movement disorder. People who clench or grind their teeth during sleep are more likely to have other sleep disorders, such as snoring and pauses in breathing (sleep apnea). Mild bruxism may not require treatment. However, in some people, bruxism can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other problems. Because you may have sleep bruxism and be unaware of it until complications develop, it's important to know the signs and symptoms of bruxism and to seek regular dental care.

Factors that influence whether or not bruxism causes pain and other problems will vary from person to person. They may include :

• Anxiety, stress, and tension
• Depression
• How long and tightly you clench and grind
• Whether your teeth are misaligned
• Your posture
• Your diet
• Your sleeping habits

Important to know that Bruxism is not a dangerous disorder. However, it can cause permanent damage to the teeth and uncomfortable jaw pain, headaches, or ear pain.

Others Possible Complications such as :

• Headache
• Eating disorders
• Insomnia
• Increased dental or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems.
• Fractured teeth
• Receding gums
• Depression
• Muscle tenderness, especially in the morning
• Insomnia
• Sore or painful jaw
• Nightly grinding can awaken roommates or sleeping partners ^^.

Treatment.

The goals of treatment are to reduce pain, prevent permanent damage to the teeth, and reduce clenching as much as possible. The following self-care steps may help relieve pain:

• Apply ice or wet heat to sore jaw muscles. Either option can help.
• Avoid eating hard foods like nuts, candies and steak.
• Avoid chewing gum.
• Drink plenty of water every day.
• Get enough sleep.
• Learn physical therapy stretching exercises to help restore the action of the muscles and joints on each side of the head to get back to normal.
• Massage the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and face. Look for small, painful nodules called trigger points that can cause pain throughout the head and face
• Relax your face and jaw muscles throughout the day. The goal is to make facial relaxation a habit.
• Try to reduce your daily stress and learn relaxation techniques.

When to Contact a Medical Professional?

See a dentist immediately if you are having trouble eating or opening your mouth. Keep in mind that a wide variety of possible conditions, from arthritis to whiplash injuries, can cause TMJ symptoms. Therefore, see your dentist for a full evaluation if self-care measures do not help within several weeks. Grinding and clenching does not fall clearly into one medical discipline. There is no recognized TMJ specialty in dentistry. For a massage-based approach, look for a massage therapist trained in trigger point therapy, neuromuscular therapy, or clinical massage. Dentists who have more experience with TMJ disorders will typically take x-rays and prescribe a mouth guard. Surgery is now considered a last resort for TMJ.

Finally, there have been many approaches to try to help people unlearn their clenching behaviors. These are more successful for daytime clenching. I myself, after so many years I still got this bruxism, reduce stress and anxiety is the best way for me. In some people, just relaxing and modifying daytime behavior is enough to reduce nighttime bruxism. Methods to directly modify nighttime clenching have not been well studied. They include biofeedback devices, self-hypnosis and other alternative therapies

Source:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.mayoclinic.org