Grinding teeth symptoms

A. Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Symptoms And Complications

1. What is bruxism?

Bruxism is a condition in which you grind your teeth and clench your jaw while awake or asleep. It’s most commonly associated with stress, anxiety, and anger, but can also be caused by certain medications, other medical conditions (such as sleep apnea), an aggressive personality type, and young age. Because bruxism can occur at night without you even being aware of it, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms and have routine dental checkups to avoid complications.

2. Symptoms

Symptoms of bruxism include:

Sensitive teeth
Worn teeth
Broken tooth enamel
Broken teeth or dental work
Facial pain
Jaw pain and stiffness
Headache
Earache
Your partner’s complaints about grinding noises

3. Complications

If you experience any of the symptoms above, it’s important to see your dentist before more serious problems arise, including:

Damage to your teeth and dentures
Gum recession
bone loss
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ).
Arthritis in the jaw
Eating disorder

Your dentist can examine your teeth to determine the severity of the problem, any damage to your teeth, and recommend treatment options such as mouthguards and fillings.

B. What Are The Symptoms Of Teeth Grinding?

Nighttime teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a fascinating phenomenon. Sometimes it’s a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Other times, it’s a sign that you’re feeling stressed and anxious. While it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of teeth grinding, recognizing the symptoms is relatively easy.

1. What are the Symptoms of Teeth Grinding?

Occasionally we have patients who grind their teeth at night but have no symptoms other than some wear and tear of the enamel. In other cases, patients have more severe symptoms. Common signs of teeth grinding include facial pain, earache, headache, jaw stiffness, and trouble sleeping. In severe cases, clenching or grinding your teeth can lead to cracked or broken teeth, or even tooth loss.

2. What other damage does teeth grinding cause?

Although tooth enamel is the body’s strongest surface, it is still susceptible to damage from teeth grinding. Teeth grinding can expose the delicate material beneath the enamel and lead to increased tooth sensitivity. Teeth with weak enamel are also at a higher risk of developing tooth decay and cavities.

3. How do we protect your teeth when you grind at night?

Dr. Patel usually treats teeth grinding by creating a personalized vigil. They’re comfortable to wear while you sleep, protect your pearly whites, and are affordable. In most cases we can set up a night security guard during your visit, so you don’t have to bring him back to the office to pick him up. Just slip it on when you head to bed and enjoy a good night’s sleep knowing you’re protecting yourself.

C. What You Need To Know About Bruxism

Bruxism is a condition in which a person grinds, grinds, or clenches their teeth using the jaw muscles. It can occur unconsciously during sleep (nocturnal bruxism) or while awake (waking bruxism). Bruxism can affect all of your teeth, or it can occur as a result of grinding or clenching just your front teeth. Bruxism is a stress-related disorder. When bruxism is severe, it can cause frequent headaches, a disruption in your sleep pattern, and more. Sleep bruxism associated with arousal during sleep is a specific type of sleep-related movement disorder. People who grind their teeth during sleep are more likely to snore and are also at high risk for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is considered a very serious sleep disorder because a person’s breathing is interrupted (several times) during sleep. This can lead to a lack of adequate oxygen supply to the brain and other parts of the body.

1. Symptoms

Many people with bruxism are unaware of their teeth grinding — that is, only when the symptoms are noticed. In most cases, the symptoms – in the form of tooth decay – are discovered by the dentist. Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms and to take regular dental care. The symptoms of bruxism differ from person to person and vary depending on the type of bruxism. For example, nocturnal bruxism is usually worse when a person wakes up and then gets better throughout the day. On the other hand, with waking bruxism, symptoms may not appear in the morning, but symptoms usually get worse as the day progresses.

Signs and symptoms of bruxism can include:

Hypersensitivity of the teeth
Neck pain or pain
Severe facial pain
Sore jaw muscles
A locked jaw (not opening or closing properly)
Pain that feels like an earache (not symptoms of an ear infection or other ear problems)
Damage to the inner part of the cheek (due to the chewing movement of the teeth)
Boring headaches (which may start in the temples)
Tension headache
Frequent early morning headaches (headaches that occur upon waking)
Damage to dental work (e.g. crowns or fillings/fillings)
Abnormal tooth wear (flattened, chipped, or loose teeth, or worn enamel)
Clenching or grinding of teeth (can be noticed by a sleeping partner or be loud enough to wake a person)
Difficulty sleeping (possibly due to the crunches waking you up)

According to the Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society, waking bruxism is more common in women and night bruxism occurs equally in women and men.

2. Causes

Interestingly, the two different types of bruxism – nocturnal and waking – are believed to have different origins, although the exact cause of bruxism is not fully understood. Some experts believe bruxism may involve multiple factors. “Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder. People who clench their teeth or clench their teeth while sleeping are more likely to have other sleep disorders, such as snoring and pauses in breathing (sleep apnea). Disorder resulting from a combination of different factors, including physical, psychological, and genetic problems.

Other causes of bruxism may be related to an underlying medical condition. For example, one study found that some study participants with neurological disorders (such as Huntington’s disease, cranial nerve disorders [nerves that originate in the brain stem], and drug-resistant epilepsy) had symptoms of waking bruxism.

Other causes that may be associated with bruxism include:

Certain types of medication (eg, antidepressants)
Drug withdrawal
Missing or crooked teeth
An abnormal bite
Other underlying medical conditions Missing or crooked teeth

3. Risk factors for bruxism

There are several factors that can increase a person’s risk of bruxism, including:

Emphasize
Fear
Fury
frustration
Age (bruxism is more common in children and usually disappears in adulthood)
Having a certain personality type (eg, aggressive, competitive, or hyperactive people are at higher risk)
Taking certain medications (such as antidepressants)
Smoking tobacco
Drink alcohol
Consume drugs
Drink caffeinated beverages
Have an immediate family member with bruxism
Have a mental disorder

In addition, certain medical conditions can increase the risk of bruxism. These include:

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Epilepsy
Nightmares
Sleep apnea (and other sleep-related disorders)
ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

4. Complications

In most cases, bruxism does not lead to serious complications. However, when the condition is severe, it can cause serious problems such as temporomandibular joint disorders (temporomandibular joint disorder). This is a condition of the jaw that involves a clicking sound heard when the mouth is opened or closed. It can also result in loose or broken teeth, damage to crowns (implants, root canals, bridges, or dentures may even require overtime), jaw damage, hearing loss, and changes in a person’s face shape.

5. Diagnosis

A sleep partner will often hear the person with bruxism grind their teeth in their sleep, and this may be the first time a person with bruxism is made aware that teeth grinding is occurring. When it comes to children, it is often the parents who notice their children’s teeth grinding. Another common way to diagnose bruxism is through a dental exam, where the dentist examines the teeth for signs of grinding during a routine exam. If early signs of bruxism are seen, the dentist may take some time to assess whether symptoms are progressing and whether treatment is needed. The dentist can check for tenderness in the jaw muscles, dental problems (e.g. worn or broken teeth), damage to the inside of the cheeks, damage to the underlying bone tissue (X-rays can be taken for this examination) and/or serious complications (such as ATM) .

6. Treatment

A person suffering from mild bruxism may not need treatment, but those with severe cases may need intervention for jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth, and other symptoms. Several treatments are currently used for bruxism, but there are very few clinical research studies to support claims that any particular treatment has been successful. If bruxism is related to a sleep pattern disorder, the dentist or other healthcare provider may refer the patient to a sleep medicine specialist for evaluation. This may include a sleep study to assess episodes of teeth grinding and determine if sleep apnea is present. A referral to a licensed psychiatrist or therapist may be needed if severe anxiety or other mental health problems are present.

Dental preventive measures may include splints or mouth guards (to prevent damage from teeth grinding) or dental corrections for teeth that are excessively worn and affecting the ability to chew food properly. Other treatment modalities aimed at preventing or relieving bruxism include stress management, conditioned electrical stimulation (a procedure that inhibits jaw muscle activity during sleep), medications (such as muscle relaxants or anxiolytics), and/or Botox injections (for those who do not respond to other treatments). Treatment may be required for related/underlying causes of bruxism. These conditions can include neurological disorders or GERD. In addition, drug discontinuation may be required if bruxism occurs as a result of an adverse reaction to a particular drug. You may also need to deal with any sleep related disorders you may be suffering from.

7. Strategies to minimize grinding

Although there are no known treatment strategies that will cure all types of bruxism, there are some ways to minimize grinding, such as:

Minimize or eliminate caffeinated beverages and foods like coffee, tea, and chocolate.
Avoid alcoholic beverages.
Avoid chewing on objects (such as pens, pencils, or other objects).
Avoid chewing gum or chewing on sticky foods like candy (chewing conditions the jaw muscles to adapt to chronic clenching and increases the likelihood of crunching).
Try not to clench or grind your teeth during the day and make a conscious effort to stop. One strategy that may be helpful if grinding is noticed is to put your tongue between your teeth.
Place a warm compress on your cheek and position it in front of your earlobe (this will help relax your jaw muscles).
Use a night watchman.
Exercise regularly to reduce stress.
Take a warm, relaxing bath at night before bed.
Use relaxation and/or meditation techniques to reduce stress.
Get a massage to reduce muscle tension.
Get professional help for anxiety, severe stress, anger, or emotional issues.

8. When to consult the healthcare provider

It is important to see your doctor if any of the most common symptoms of bruxism are observed. If a child grinds their teeth (while sleeping or awake), a dentist appointment should be scheduled to assess the severity of the problem.

9. Summary

Although the symptoms of bruxism are not always severe and treatment may not be necessary, evaluation by a doctor is essential. Serious complications and symptoms can arise that require immediate treatment, and there is no way to confidently determine the severity of bruxism symptoms without medical/dental consultation.