‘Teeth
grinding’ at night is a common habit that inflicts
hundreds of people. The oral habit or condition of teeth
grinding is referred to in medical terminology as
Bruxism. Although commonly prevalent as night time
Bruxism, teeth grinding can be a diurnal occurrence too
– where the habit persists through the day times as
well.
The
difference between day time Bruxism and teeth grinding
at night:
Apart from
the most obvious difference between the two as far as
the time period when this habit is mostly prevalent is
concerned, there is another more serious difference
between the two that in fact contains in it many more
consequences with several underlying elements of
severity of the condition and the nature of treatment to
be undertaken.
- Night
time teeth grinding can go unnoticed in a lot of cases
while day time teeth grinding is immediately brought
to attention
- Night
time teeth grinding therefore is the more potentially
damaging of the two
- In
several cases, the damage of night time teeth grinding
is treated as another dental condition because of
incorrect diagnosis and is therefore very rarely
resolved on a permanent basis
- Teeth
grinding at night also leads to many associated
condition such as sleeplessness or disturbed sleep
patterns
- Teeth
grinding at night can lead to the development of
severe pain in the sides of the face, neck or the
shoulder regions.
- Night
time teeth grinding can cause disorder of the jaw
joint alignment or upper spinal cord
dysfunctions
- Severe
wear and tear of teeth is a symptom of night time
teeth grinding
- Teeth
grinding at night can lead to a cycle of stress that
adds to the habit of Bruxism
Causes and
treatment of teeth grinding at
night
The causes
of teeth grinding at night can be many – mal alignment
of teeth, stress and anxiety, jaw problems, ear
disorders, abdominal problems or even a temporary
phenomenon that works itself out with
time.
In order
to correctly identify the root causes of the teeth
grinding habit, an examination by a physician is
required. Since teeth grinding is a multifactorial
condition, the right diagnosis is half the battle won as
far as a treatment for the condition is concerned.
An early
diagnosis is immensely helpful in averting the damage
that this condition can inflict if left unattended.
Holistic methods of treatment contain the maximum
chances of a long lasting cure.
