Introduction
Among the complications that are done voluntarily or involuntarily, we can mention bruxism or teeth grinding. Many people are not aware of this complication and do not know its cause, especially people who perform this procedure at night are not aware of this situation. If you are still not sure about the presence of this disorder in yourself, then by reading this article from Dr. Shibani Nia’s website, learn about its causes and symptoms.
What is tooth grinding?
A person with bruxism grinds his teeth while not chewing anything. This action happens unconsciously while waking up or sleeping. For better understanding, it should be said that in bruxism, a person contracts his muscles by keeping his teeth together, and while doing it, the jaw does not move backwards or forwards. This condition creates a big challenge for people during sleep and it is difficult to control.
The cause of teeth grinding
Despite the passage of time and advancement of knowledge, the cause of teeth grinding is not fully known. Some of the most important reasons for this complication are:
- Respiratory problems may be one of the causes of this disorder.
- Anger, excitement and anxiety are effective in creating it. Taking some medications, such as prescription medications for depression, can cause teeth grinding.
- The occurrence of neurological and mental diseases or diseases related to jaw and facial muscles can have symptoms such as bruxism.
- Parkinson’s disease causes bruxism disorder.
- Also, when the teeth and jaws are not properly aligned, the result is the body’s reaction in the form of bruxism.
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Stress and teeth grinding
As we said, bruxism is a common complication and usually manifests itself in the deep stage of sleep. Stress is one of the prominent causes. Of course, according to experts, it is not the only cause of bruxism. Daily stress, such as changes in daily living conditions, marital disputes, family crises, etc., aggravate bruxism disorder. What should be done now? Some people can control their stress, but some need help and solutions, especially when the only cause of teeth grinding is stress and anxiety. To reduce stress, you can do breathing exercises, meditation, refraining from consuming caffeine, talking to your spouse before going to bed, exercising, taking a bath before going to bed, etc. If your stress is severe, it is recommended to consult a counselor or psychotherapy.
Children’s teeth grinding in sleep and wakefulness
Often bruxism in children occurs during the REM stage of sleep. Children who grind their teeth often do not wake up. Some studies show the presence of signs of disturbed sleep during bruxism, such as an increased heart rate. Children may also clench their teeth while awake without being aware of it. In the terminology, this action is called clenching. Teething intensifies this process, but stops once the process of teething is complete. The prevalence of bruxism among children is 14-17%. There is no significant difference between boys and girls for this disorder; The emphasis is on its presence in both sexes.
Grinding teeth in babies
In children under 2 years old, factors such as enlarged tonsils, many filling restorations, allergies, nutritional deficiency, risk of contracting certain diseases, glandular disorders, and finally psychological factors such as anxiety cause teeth grinding. Experts are not completely sure about this, but sometimes this procedure is performed in babies as a response to pain; such as teething or ear pain.
Grinding teeth in adults
One of the problems that can be from childhood to adult is bruxism. Sometimes some physical and mental diseases in adulthood cause this complication. Whatever the reason, the health of the teeth is at risk. If you are not aware of the existence of this disorder, jaw pain or headache in the morning can indicate the possibility of this disorder. In adulthood, bruxism occurs in two ways:
The first type: There is a specific medical reason for its occurrence.
Secondary type: Several specific causes can be considered as its cause.
The secondary type is resolved by treating the underlying disorders. But getting used to this practice is also a problem. At this time, despite solving the underlying problems, bruxism still does not disappear.
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Parasitic gnashing of teeth
Teeth grinding and intestinal parasites are common problems among children. Almost most children experience bruxism at some point in their lives. Also, children’s inability to follow health recommendations in school or kindergarten results in digestive parasites for them. So it is not far from the expectation that we see these two problems in children at the same time. Intestinal parasites produce toxic substances for the body and cause symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and bruxism. However, limited studies show conflicting results and their relationship is still in doubt.
Treatment methods for grinding teeth
First of all, find the cause to treat it. If the cause of bruxism addiction is caused by factors other than teeth and mouth problems, this problem can be considered as caused by stress and anxiety. In these cases, you can take drugs such as gabapentin or propranolol under the supervision of your doctor. Visiting a psychotherapist is definitely effective in improving symptoms. Solving oral and dental problems by visiting a dentist helps to improve the bruxism disorder. The dentist also helps the affected patients by making a protective prosthesis including movable splints in reducing the complications of bruxism at night.
Home treatment for grinding teeth
It is difficult and impossible not to be stressed nowadays. In any case, avoid suppressing emotions to avoid teeth grinding disorder. In this part of the article, we are dealing with home remedies for this condition.
valerian root: A natural pain reliever reduces bruxism by inducing deep sleep.
Lavender oil: Calming the nervous system, reducing stress levels and physiological tensions in the body are among its effects. Just smell it to achieve these things.
honey: Daily consumption of one tablespoon of honey will improve your condition.
Ginger and cinnamon: Consuming warm ginger and cinnamon teas helps to cure bruxism. Finally, it is recommended to consume fruits and get enough vitamin C.
Sertraline and teeth grinding
Sertraline is one of the commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of depression. One of the rare side effects of this drug is bruxism. If you experience bruxism when you start taking this medicine, it is recommended to see a neurologist or a psychiatrist at this time.
Tablets for the treatment of grinding teeth
Medicines are not usually used to treat grinding teeth, but non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help relieve any pain or swelling around the jaw. Other pills include muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety pills. Be careful, long-term use of these drugs is addictive. So use them under the supervision of a doctor.
last word
In this article from Dr. Shibani Nia’s website, Orthodontic specialist in Tehran, we investigated the complication of grinding teeth. As you have seen, one of the causes of this disorder is oral and dental problems, so it is recommended to see a dentist to find out the cause because bruxism disorder will cause irreparable effects on your teeth in the long run.