Although
Bruxism is not typically a dangerous disease by itself,
the habit of grinding teeth requires help to ensure that
the condition does not persists for long and end up
causing irreparable damage.
Teeth
grinding symptoms
The oral
condition or habit of teeth grinding is also called
Bruxism and it exhibits wide ranging symptoms in people
mainly because the condition is multi causal. Depending
on the causal factors as well as the intensity of the
teeth grinding habit, symptoms of Bruxism can vary. Some
of the more typical symptoms can be listed as
under:
- Wear and
tear of teeth (sometimes leading to tooth
loss)
- Damage
to jaw joint or upper spinal cord due to the intense
grinding motions
- Headaches
and facial pain
- Tension
in neck and shoulders, especially on waking up from
sleep
- Many
other associated symptoms such as insomnia, depression
etc
Help for
teeth grinding
As soon as
teeth grinding (or teeth clenching) is suspected,
immediate examination by a physician or a dentist –
preferably a specialist in Bruxism – is called for. This
is because unless the root causes of the problem is
identified correctly, the right course of treatment
cannot be initiated.
Treatment
for teeth grinding
Treatment
for teeth grinding comes in several forms depending on
where one is getting the treatment from. For example,
most physicians will prescribe medications that act to
relieve pain and discomfort. Most dental practitioners
will suggest the use of devices to arrest damage to
teeth. There are several types of splints and mouth
guards available in the market that helps to minimize
the damage that intense teeth grinding can cause. Others
will suggest chiropractic care, homeopathy or other
alternative cures.
Throughout
all such options for treatment of teeth grinding, there
is a common level of agreement that stress and anxiety
being the major contributory factor to the occurrence of
Bruxism, stress reduction and relaxation techniques play
a vital role in helping to eliminate teeth grinding.
Along with
stress reduction, there are proven exercises that can
help minimize teeth grinding habits. These exercises are
in the form of gentle facial exercises that help to
relax and strengthen the muscles involved in the chewing
and grinding activities of the head regions.
Apart from
these, attention to dietary concerns is also considered
important in help for teeth grinding
treatment.
Unless one
adopts a holistic approach to resolving teeth grinding,
the treatments cannot yield durable results.
