Bruxism is
a medical term used to define an oral condition or a
habit of teeth grinding and (or) teeth clenching that
occurs during sleep times or in stressful situations. It
is a common condition that affects hundreds of people.
In several cases, Bruxism exits as a childhood habit
that resolves by itself with age. However, in many other
cases Bruxism exists as a chronic condition of teeth
grinding, causing severe damage to teeth, gums as well
as the mental state of mind of a person. The good news
is that when attended to in the right manner, Bruxism
can be dealt with naturally and many of the associated
discomfort reversed.
Causes of
Bruxism
Bruxism is
a multifactorial condition and it is usually brought on
by a combination of several contributory factors. Some
of the more commonly established factors are listed
below –
- Stress
and anxiety
- Mal
alignment of teeth
- Spinal
or cervical dysfunction
- Jaw
joint problems
- Ear
inflammation etc
- Abdominal
problems
- Other
health complications that can act as a trigger
Symptoms
of Bruxism
Apart from
the teeth grinding and teeth clenching, symptoms of
Bruxism can range from headaches, facial pain,
depression to other subsequent complications brought on
by the Bruxism actions, such as temporomandibular joint
dysfunction.
Chronic
cases of Bruxism exhibit more obvious symptoms such as
intensely worn down teeth (from the constant grinding
motions), painful jaw and insomnia. The symptoms of
Bruxism can differ widely depending on the root cause of
the condition as well as a person’s individual
character. Every person displays the symptoms of Bruxism
differently depending on the above
factors.
Understanding
Bruxism
The
multifactorial nature of Bruxism makes a prompt
diagnosis difficult in most cases. Even in cases of
tooth decay resulting from fractures of teeth, the
causes do not point to Bruxism at first glance. The
symptoms are therefore difficult to lead to Bruxism,
especially in cases where the persons themselves are not
aware of the existence of the problem (as is typical in
sleep time Bruxism).
Additionally,
there is no straight forward treatment that cures
Bruxism. What one gets in terms of Bruxism treatments
are mostly ways to manage the condition and damage
control devices. Drugs touted as cures for Bruxism are
at best only incidental in providing relief. Many times
they cause severe side effects.
For a
durable and positive Bruxism solution, one needs to
approach the goal as a holistic treatment after
indentifying the real causes of the
condition.
