Bruxism is a jaw parafunction that consists of grinding the teeth unconsciously, especially during sleep. It is a fairly common condition, but unfortunately, it is considered a silent disease, as most people are unaware that they suffer from it.
It is very important to detect bruxism as soon as possible. This is a disease that, if not treated in time, can lead to serious consequences in the development of the teeth, muscles and bones of the face.
Therefore, we remind you that it is necessary to make regular visits to the dentist, since most of the time this is how the dentist diagnoses bruxism in the patient. On other occasions, it is the people around the patient who notice the grinding of the teeth due to the noise they make when sleeping.
The consequences for the patient’s oral health are very clear:
- Dental wear
- Acute hypersensitivity
- Dental sensitivity
- Pain in the jaw, neck, head and even ears
- Insomnia
- Temporomandibular joint disorders
If you detect any of these symptoms, it is recommended that you see a specialist to evaluate whether you suffer from bruxism. This way, he will be able to treat you to prevent the symptoms from worsening and the development of chronic pathologies.
Why do I have bruxism?
The causes that may lead to bruxism have not been discovered. However, there is a close relationship between anxiety and this disease. It is believed that high levels of stress may influence teeth grinding at night.
Even so, there are other reasons that could promote the appearance of this pathology. For example, genetic factors, sleep disorders, incorrect alignment of the teeth, etc.
On the other hand, it should be noted that among children and young people it is quite common and normal to suffer from bruxism. In these cases, it usually disappears as they get older. It is bruxism in adulthood when it becomes worrisome and requires urgent treatment.
Consequences of bruxism
If you don’t try to eliminate the problem that can cause your bruxism, and you don’t see a specialist to treat the problem, you can end up having serious problems in terms of your oral health.
To begin with, dental wear will worsen, affecting not only your esthetics, but also your health. Tooth sensitivity will begin to appear with the ingestion of cold, hot or sweet foods or beverages.
The wear may also affect your gums, which may become sore and swollen to the point of generating tooth mobility.
The temporomandibular joint may also be affected. This is the jaw joint that allows you to chew, speak, swallow, etc. In the long term, you may have chronic pain in the joint or generate noises when opening and closing.
In addition, the pain usually radiates to other parts of the body. Many bruxism patients come to our clinics with head, shoulder and ear pain.
How to treat bruxism?
Bruxism affects each person in a certain way, depending on the intensity and frequency with which they grind their teeth. However, in all cases it is important to treat it in order to prevent and cure the ailments caused by this unnoticed disease.
The most common treatment to alleviate the symptoms of bruxism and prevent chronic pain is the unloading splint. It is a prosthesis that should be placed during the night and that will prevent tooth grinding by relaxing the temporomandibular joint.
It is important that bruxism be treated by a specialist. Even so, you can change some habits in your daily life that will complement the dental treatment and help you reduce the symptoms of grinding.
Food is a factor to be taken into account, since hard foods or chewing gum are not the most advisable when suffering from bruxism.
Likewise, it is essential to have a sleep routine in which you can sleep all the hours that specialists recommend.
On the other hand, doing jaw relaxation exercises will help you to reduce the tension in this part of the body and, consequently, the tendency to grind your teeth will be eliminated.
But the most important factor we should consider to prevent bruxism is the reduction of anxiety and stress in our day to day life. Leading a calmer life will favor our sleep hours and eliminate or prevent the tension generated in the jaw.
Make your regular visits to the dentist in our clinic to detect a possible case of bruxism. We will be happy to assist you.
Clínica dental de referencia en Alicante, especializada en tratamientos de estética dental, implantología y salud bucodental integral.
