Unlike the
identification of causal factors of Bruxism, symptoms of
Bruxism are easier to characterise. There are well
established signs and new ways of diagnosis that have
hugely helped the manner in which Bruxism can be
pinpointed and its nature understood fairly well.
Bruxism as
the medical terminology goes, is the term given to the
habit of teeth grinding and (or) teeth clenching that a
person carries out in varying degrees – depending on the
exact nature and type of Bruxism. Since this habit
displays a wide variance in the intensity of teeth
grinding that an individual case might indulge in, the
symptoms of Bruxism vary widely and can show variations
in different cases.
Common
symptoms of Bruxism:
As most
case studies have shown, the most common types of
symptoms of Bruxism can be listed as follows:
- The
edges of the teeth – especially the front teeth will
be worn down with the constant grinding and will take
on an eroded look.
- Minor
fractures can develop over time and lead to chipping
and breakage of teeth
- Many
times cracks appear on teeth that proceed deep into
the teeth and facilitate the rapid progress of tooth
decay
- Wear and
tear of teeth can cause teeth sensitivity to occur and
a person with Bruxism problem will typically develop
intolerance to cold.
- Teeth
grinding can affect gums in many ways and cause
receding gum lines and encourage inset of periodontal
diseases.
- The
constant grinding and clenching motions of Bruxism
often leads to loose teeth which will eventually fall
off
- The
teeth grinding and teeth clenching motions also end up
exerting extreme pressure on the jaw bone and often
leads to deformation of the supporting bone mass of
teeth
- The
extreme pressure that the cheek muscle undertakes also
leads to severe pain in the region and can cause
damage to the insides of cheek as
well
- Bruxism
is often accompanied with pain in sides of face as
well as neck regions, especially in the chronic cases
of Bruxism
- Bruxism
also exhibits symptoms of disturbed sleep or insomnia
- Extreme
cases are known to show symptoms of
depression
When the
existence of Bruxism is suspected, it is recommended
that an examination by a specialist is carried out to
establish the symptoms as those of Bruxism and
corrective measures taken thereafter to accurately
identify the cause and take steps to reverse the
condition through effective holistic means.
