Bruxism is defined as the involuntary action of clenching or grinding the teeth without any functional purpose. This involuntary act can occur at any time of the day, but usually occurs at night. It is estimated that up to 20% of the world’s population suffers from bruxism.
What types of bruxism are there?
Depending on the form in which bruxism occurs, there are two distinct types:
- Clenching bruxism: occurs when the chewing muscles contract when the teeth are clenched and since there is no sliding between teeth there is not as much wear and tear.
- Grinding or rubbing bruxism: there is friction of the teeth when contracting and relaxing the masticatory muscles with great dental wear.
Depending on the time of day when bruxism occurs, there are two other types:
- Daytime or wakefulness bruxism: occurs when teeth are unconsciously clenched while awake during the day. It usually manifests with other types of habits such as clenching the lips or biting the nails.
- Nocturnal or sleep bruxism: occurs when teeth are unconsciously clenched during sleeping hours. It is usually related to sleep apneas or chronic obstructive apnea syndrome. This type of bruxism causes dental, joint and muscle pain.
What causes bruxism?
Bruxism is usually caused by a state of anxiety, but it can also have a genetic cause or be generated by other types of diseases.
- Psychological factors: anxiety, stress, nerves, frustration, etc., but it can also be due to other triggers, such as personality type, which can also influence the frequency of this pathology.
- Hereditary factors: bruxism can have a genetic origin and can be shared among different family members.
- Age factors: bruxism can affect anyone, especially children, adolescents and middle-aged people. When it occurs in children it may have a physiological cause, related to stimulation and normal development of the face, mouth and dentition. It usually disappears as the permanent teeth appear. It can also be related to anxiety, nervousness or childhood stress.
Even with these causes, there are also other oral and dental problems that can cause bruxism. Malocclusion can be another factor that causes bruxism, as well as other problems such as allergies, dementia, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, night terrors or hyperactivity.
In the same way, there are some psychiatric medications such as antidepressants or other stimulant substances such as tobacco or the consumption of certain types of drugs that can favor the development of bruxism.
How do I know if I have bruxism?
Sometimes it is quite difficult to detect bruxism, especially when it occurs at night. As it is an involuntary act, you are not aware that you are doing it until someone tells you or the consequences start to be noticeable to the naked eye. The easiest way to diagnose it is to visit the dentist and keep track of it, since you will be able to detect it only with an examination.
Symptoms and consequences of bruxism
In the most severe cases of bruxism it can have consequences such as wear and tear, muscle pain, tooth sensitivity, tooth breakage, jaw or headaches and even sleep disorders.
- Tooth wear: tooth attrition occurs, that is, the deterioration of the tooth surfaces due to the contact between them. This can end up causing dental fractures or even nerve damage.
- Dental sensitivity: deterioration of the enamel, the protective layer of the teeth. This can cause tooth sensitivity and even pain.
- Sleep disorders: patients who snore, have insomnia or sleep apnea may be more prone to develop bruxism.
- Temporomandibular dysfunction: waking up with jaw, neck, head or ear pain are signs of involuntary bruxism. These involuntary movements can overload the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint on each side of the jaw that allows us to speak and chew. This, in the long term, can lead to dysfunction of this joint causing contractures, overloading and injury.
How to treat bruxism?
First of all, it should be noted that the problem may disappear on its own. But there are other cases in which bruxism can be chronic and it is necessary to try to recover the correct occlusion.
- Orthodontic treatment: sometimes teeth grinding can be caused by a bad bite when opening and closing the mouth. When this happens, orthodontic treatment is necessary to restore occlusion and prevent grinding.
- Discharge splints: The mouth guard is useful to reduce the effects of bruxism. It is a plastic or resin device that is placed between the teeth to protect the teeth and temporomandibular joints. This treatment serves to protect, but will not eliminate its causes. The patient can use it during the day, night or both, depending on the intensity of bruxism.
- Physiotherapy: physiotherapy sessions of the mouth, head and neck will help to decontract and relax the masticatory muscles. Thus, we will be able to reduce muscle fatigue and headache.
- Repair of worn teeth: if bruxism has caused severe wear of the teeth, dentistry can remodel the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- Medication: medication is not usually used to treat bruxism, but muscle relaxants or anti-anxiety or anti-stress medications may be used. In some cases, Botox injection into the chewing muscles may be advised to control their development.
- Relaxation techniques: psychological factors such as stress and anxiety in the development of bruxism are usually the most frequent. That is why it is recommended to avoid life stressors and to do relaxation exercises before going to sleep.