Bruxing – Teeth Grinding and Jaw Clenching
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (also called bruxism) is often connected to stress or anxiety. It doesn’t always reason sign but some people get facial pain and headaches, and it can wear down your teeth over time.
Most people who grind their teeth and clench their jaw aren’t aware they’re doing it. It often occur during sleep or while concentrating or under stress
Clenching and grinding teeth can be viewed as physiological; it is so general with probably 80% engaging in this habit at some time.
The habit should be treated when pathology develops. Some general sign are:
- Worn unsightly dentition with loss of vertical dimension, loss of face height, cracked and broken teeth.
- Clicking and unstable jaw joints.
Headaches arising from bruxing are due to spasm in the small muscles of the face and neck. Your brain rarely hurts. Usually the pain emanates from the temple and over the eyes. A dental appliance can fix it acting as the splint to relax the muscles. The splint may also break the clenching habit.
Clenching can also resolve in aching in the face. This necessitates a differential diagnosis to ensure there are no problems with the teeth themselves.
Symptoms of teeth grinding
- facial pain
- headaches
- earache
- disrupted sleep
What reason teeth grinding?
The reason of teeth grinding isn’t always clear, but it’s generally linked to other factors, such as stress, anxiety or sleep problems.
Stress and anxiety
Teeth grinding is most often reason by stress or anxiety and many people aren’t aware they do it. It often happens for the duration of sleep.
Medication
Teeth grinding can sometimes be a side effect of taking certain types of medication. In particular, teeth grinding is sometimes linked to a type of antidepressant known as a choosy serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
Sleep disorders
If you snore or have a sleep disorder, such as disruptive sleep apnoea (OSA), you’re more likely to grind your teeth while you sleep. OSA interrupts your breathing while you sleep.