Bruxism Disease - Causes and Treatment

A significant number of US children adults involuntarily grind their teeth without being conscious of the same. This is referred to as Bruxism.

This condition can occur anytime of the day. When it occurs while sleeping, it is referred to as nocturnal or sleep related Bruxism.

Causes of Bruxism

The causes of Bruxism are many. It can occur
-as a result of anxiety or stress
-as a habit
-due to a fault in the alignment of the teeth
-as a sign of a rare neuromuscular disease
-as an after effect of some drugs used for treating depression - Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline)

Symptoms of Bruxism

-Regular contractions of the jaw muscles, especially in the morning, accompanied by pain
-Grinding noises during sleep
-An unexplained morning headaches
-Persisting facial pain, including pain in the jaw joints
-Damaged teeth, breaking of dental fillings, injured gums - this may be caused by the erosion of the outermost enamel layer by the teeth rubbing together. The exposure of the dentin causes tooth sensitivity

Diagnosis of Bruxism

In the event one or more of the above symptoms materialize, the very next step is to visit the dentist and confirm whether the cause of the symptoms is in fact Bruxism.

The dentist will decide this by
-the answers to related questions (eg: dental health, stress situations, medication, sleeping habits), and
-by examination of the mouth and jaw, where he will check for tenderness and other significant damage that would have caused or being caused by Bruxism (broken or missing teeth, misalignment of teeth)

If it is suspected that there may be a deeper dental problem causing the Bruxism, a more detailed examination and x-rays may be used to identify the problem and the possible treatment.

Expected Duration of Bruxism

Bruxism is a common condition among children between the ages of 3 to 10 years. However, in such cases it is likely to disappear by the age of 13 without any treatment.

In teenagers and adults the period for which Bruxism will persist depends on the reason for the Bruxism. If the cause is a dental defect, once the treatment has been used, or the affected teeth repaired and/ or realigned, the Bruxism will stop. However, if the cause is emotional and is a result of stress and anxiety, it may last until the emotional issues are managed.

Treatment of Bruxism

The methods used to treat Bruxism are dependant on the cause of the condition:

-Bruxism caused by stress: Treatment is by professional counseling, psychotherapy or biofeedback exercise. Relaxing activities to remove the stress will also be effective, as is removing stimulants such caffeine and tobacco from the lifestyle. A muscle relaxant may also be prescribed to prevent the jaw spasm. If these methods still fail to sure the condition, a dental surgeon may be referred to for specialized treatment.

-Bruxism caused by dental problems: In such cases, generally, tooth realignment will be carried out. For severe dental issues however, it may also be required to wear crowns or onlays to correct the damaged teeth. A bite splint or similar mouth wear, which are dental appliances used to prevent Bruxism. They are usually worn at night to help prevent the grinding and to relieve pressure on jaw joints and facial muscles. It will also assist in the realigning of the teeth.

-Bruxism caused by after effects of drugs (eg: antidepressants): In such cases, the doctor would change the medicine causing the Bruxism to another medicine or prescribe other medicine to prevent the effect of Bruxism.

In some instances, a hot compress on the facial muscles will relive and soothe the muscle tightness and pain caused by teeth grinding.

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