Learning how to stop teeth grinding can be a difficult process for those who have this disorder. For many people, they don’t even know they do it until they visit the dentist and find damaged teeth. Here’s an overview of bruxism and how anxiety and teeth grinding may be having an effect on your life.
Bruxism is simply an abnormal chewing action that is caused by your brain becoming inactive while you are sleeping and allowing the reflex chewing activity to remain active.
Approximately 30 to 40 million people in the U.S. grind their teeth at night. About half don’t even realize it. Bruxism is also one of the biggest factors in losing teeth, as well as the single biggest factor for occlusal disease.
Over the course of time, teeth grinding can create major problems. It wears down the teeth to s stump. It can also lead to jaw problems such as TMJ.
While experts can’t pinpoint an exact cause of bruxism, anxiety and teeth grinding seem to go hand in hand. Stress creates muscle tension and in turn, clenching of the teeth.
Some of the more common remedies for teeth grinding include a mouth guard or bite strip. Your dentist would fit your mouth for the device which you would wear on the inside of your mouth during sleep. These bruxism treatment devices have shown to work well in some patients.
Other remedies for teeth grinding include changes in your diet, such as cutting down on caffeine, getting regular exercise which can reduce anxiety and teeth grinding, as well as certain jaw exercises and tips.
Bruxism is a serious condition if left without treatment. The good news is that there are remedies for teeth grinding available to everyone.
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Home Remedies For Bruxism
Bruxism or teeth grinding is one of most damaging forms of dental disorders. This condition is usually difficult to detect in the early stages as the patient is completely oblivious of this habit. It leads to clenching and grinding of the teeth along with extreme jaw movements. You can suffer facial pain due to the clenching – clamping the top and bottom teeth together. This stressful act puts pressure on the muscles, tissues and the areas around the jaw.
It can lead to serious problems like jaw joint disorders, jaw pain, headaches, earaches, damaged teeth and many others. This continuous form of grinding damages the teeth completely. This condition is very common among children but it is not only restricted to them. It is a very common problem among people with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. The teeth clenching and teeth grinding may lead to Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ).
Home Remedies for Bruxism
Before retiring to bed you can chew on an apple, cauliflower or carrot. This will calm your overactive mouth and prevent grinding.
To relax your jaw muscles use a warm washcloth around the sides of your face. Continue doing this for sometime. This will relax the clenched muscles that cause head pain. Do it before bedtime to benefit more.
Be relaxed and avoid stress by taking warm baths and massages. Massage your neck muscles, shoulders and face to relax peacefully. Stress relieving exercises should help you unwind. Squeeze a tennis ball; it may come in handy to get rid of the stress.
Sleeping on your side or your stomach may increase your chances of bruxism. The best position to sleep is on your back to reduce the stress.
Use contoured pillow if you can’t sleep on your back. Place the contoured pillow under you face and the ordinary pillow between your arms. Sleeping in this position reduces the strain on your jaw and neck and prevents you from rolling over onto your face.
Avoid consumption of alcohol as it inadvertently affects your sleep and increases the movement of your jaw which causes clenching. Cut down on caffeine and carbohydrates like candy and pastries.
Try acupressure, it may help you relax for a good night sleep thus avoiding any incidents of teeth clenching or grinding.
Many Turn to Teeth Grinding for Stress Relief
Bruxism, or Teeth Grinding, Can Cause Facial Pain, Infection.
Sophie may seem like an otherwise carefree 25-year-old, but one look at her worn-down teeth proves otherwise.
“I grind my teeth at night because of stress,” said Sophie, who asked that her real name not be used to protect her privacy.
And Sophie is not alone — dentists told ABCNews.com that they often see signs of bruxism, or teeth grinding, and treat the cracked teeth and jaw pain from people who clench their teeth too much.
“The past four or five months have been so stressful,” said Sophie, who said her dentist recently pointed out the damage she’s done to her teeth from grinding. “It’s no coincidence that I grind.”
Judy LaRosa, 51, knows how Sophie feels. She says she’s been grinding her teeth for as long as she can remember.
“I wake up in the morning and my mouth is killing me,” said LaRosa. “My teeth ache and my jaw hurts.”
Studies have found that between 5 percent and 12 percent of people suffer from facial pain, known as tempormandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJD), which is often caused by teeth grinding, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Dr. Harold Menschel, whose Florida-based dental practice The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute specializes in oral face pain, said that he’s convinced the rising levels of stress have increased the number of cracked teeth he mends.
“People today don’t have cavities anymore, and we have gum disease under control,” said Menschel. “People instead [are] losing their teeth by wearing them down and cracking their teeth.”
“It’s a huge problem,” said Menschel.
Grinding Your Teeth Can Cause Earaches, Headaches and Jaw Pain
The related muscles and joints in the face, said Menschel, are affected by the pressure that grinding teeth produces, often resulting in earaches and jaw pain.
“When you grind your teeth you’re putting force on the system,” said Menschel. “That can result in tooth pain and even headaches because they are all related to the nerve that governs the face.”
At Dr. Kimberly Harms’ private dental practice outside of Minneapolis, some of her baby boomer patients complain of symptoms that have resulted from a lifetime of grinding.
Stress, Harms said, is a “huge factor” of bruxism.
“From experience, when I had two teenage daughters at home I needed a high number of root canals,” said Harms, who added that root canals are necessary when a cracked tooth — in her case caused by grinding — gets infected.
“Stress definitely causes bruxism to be more prominent,” said Harms, who also acts as the American Dental Association’s consumer adviser.
“I just had a patient who came in with a major crack say that she’s been under a lot of stress,” said Harms. “Patients recognize how stress causes them to grind.”
And it’s not just adults who are so stressed out that they ruin their teeth, said Harms. Children too have been known to grind down their baby teeth.
“There is some thought that ear infections and colds can cause kids to grind their teeth,” she said. Children may deal with the pain by taking it out on their teeth.
To Cure Grinding, Dentists Suggest Relaxing
Some patients get a plastic mouth guard made to prevent grinding during the night.
“Night guards do protect the teeth and put the jaw in the good position while the person grinds,” said The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute’s Menschel, who also recommends relaxation therapy and even hypnosis.
Harms said that many dentists who can’t get their patients to stop grinding and clenching will adjust the patients’ bite to decrease the impact on their teeth.
“It’s a very hard habit to break,” said Harms.
Sophie says that her grinding problem has opened her eyes to how stressed she actually is and just how hard it is to stop.
“It’s crazy to think that I’m that stressed,” said Sophie. “I can’t even control it — especially if I’m doing it at night I’m doing damage to myself but I don’t even realize it. It’s frustrating.”
LaRosa says her doctor’s advice was nearly impossible to follow.
“He told me to avoid stress,” she said, laughing.
Sophie may seem like an otherwise carefree 25-year-old, but one look at her worn-down teeth proves otherwise.
“I grind my teeth at night because of stress,” said Sophie, who asked that her real name not be used to protect her privacy.
And Sophie is not alone — dentists told ABCNews.com that they often see signs of bruxism, or teeth grinding, and treat the cracked teeth and jaw pain from people who clench their teeth too much.
“The past four or five months have been so stressful,” said Sophie, who said her dentist recently pointed out the damage she’s done to her teeth from grinding. “It’s no coincidence that I grind.”
Judy LaRosa, 51, knows how Sophie feels. She says she’s been grinding her teeth for as long as she can remember.
“I wake up in the morning and my mouth is killing me,” said LaRosa. “My teeth ache and my jaw hurts.”
Studies have found that between 5 percent and 12 percent of people suffer from facial pain, known as tempormandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJD), which is often caused by teeth grinding, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Dr. Harold Menschel, whose Florida-based dental practice The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute specializes in oral face pain, said that he’s convinced the rising levels of stress have increased the number of cracked teeth he mends.
“People today don’t have cavities anymore, and we have gum disease under control,” said Menschel. “People instead [are] losing their teeth by wearing them down and cracking their teeth.”
“It’s a huge problem,” said Menschel.
Grinding Your Teeth Can Cause Earaches, Headaches and Jaw Pain
The related muscles and joints in the face, said Menschel, are affected by the pressure that grinding teeth produces, often resulting in earaches and jaw pain.
“When you grind your teeth you’re putting force on the system,” said Menschel. “That can result in tooth pain and even headaches because they are all related to the nerve that governs the face.”
At Dr. Kimberly Harms’ private dental practice outside of Minneapolis, some of her baby boomer patients complain of symptoms that have resulted from a lifetime of grinding.
Stress, Harms said, is a “huge factor” of bruxism.
“From experience, when I had two teenage daughters at home I needed a high number of root canals,” said Harms, who added that root canals are necessary when a cracked tooth — in her case caused by grinding — gets infected.
“Stress definitely causes bruxism to be more prominent,” said Harms, who also acts as the American Dental Association’s consumer adviser.
“I just had a patient who came in with a major crack say that she’s been under a lot of stress,” said Harms. “Patients recognize how stress causes them to grind.”
And it’s not just adults who are so stressed out that they ruin their teeth, said Harms. Children too have been known to grind down their baby teeth.
“There is some thought that ear infections and colds can cause kids to grind their teeth,” she said. Children may deal with the pain by taking it out on their teeth.
To Cure Grinding, Dentists Suggest Relaxing
Some patients get a plastic mouth guard made to prevent grinding during the night.
“Night guards do protect the teeth and put the jaw in the good position while the person grinds,” said The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute’s Menschel, who also recommends relaxation therapy and even hypnosis.
Harms said that many dentists who can’t get their patients to stop grinding and clenching will adjust the patients’ bite to decrease the impact on their teeth.
“It’s a very hard habit to break,” said Harms.
Sophie says that her grinding problem has opened her eyes to how stressed she actually is and just how hard it is to stop.
“It’s crazy to think that I’m that stressed,” said Sophie. “I can’t even control it — especially if I’m doing it at night I’m doing damage to myself but I don’t even realize it. It’s frustrating.”
LaRosa says her doctor’s advice was nearly impossible to follow.
“He told me to avoid stress,” she said, laughing.
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Teeth Grinding in Children (Bruxism)
Teeth grinding in children is otherwise known as bruxism and happens when children clench their upper and lower teeth, rubbing them together. Commonly children grind their teeth whilst sleeping and are not aware of what they are doing.
What are the causes of bruxism in children?
It is not known for certain why some children start grinding their teeth and some children don’t. There are many theories to suggest that it could be down to the fact that the sets of top and bottom teeth do not fit together comfortably due to the fact that children’s teeth and jaws grow in phases leading to unpleasant sensations in the area. The natural response of the child is to grind their teeth to soothe themselves which often later develops into a habit. It has also been shown that both children and adults grind their teeth when they feel anxious in some way, or even as a response to facial pain such as an earache or teething. It has also been shown that hyperactive children have developed bruxism.
More recent research has suggested that sleep disturbances may be a cause for bruxism in children as well as causing a number of other problems such as bed-wetting, drooling and sleep-talking. Interruptions in the rapid eye movement (REM) patterns due to dehydration during sleep can be the underlying cause of many of these problems, though your dentist will be able to advise you more on this matter.
What are the effects?
Children do not usually experience ill effects from grinding their teeth. Even when their milk teeth show wear it usually does not cause any pain or damage, yet if this wear gets severe, or if your child has already lost their milk teeth, then it is advisable to seek treatment from your dentist as dental problems such as tooth infections can occur. In most cases of teeth grinding in children they will usually outgrow the problem.
What can be done to help?
Whilst the problems will most likely go away you may want to try some methods to help the child stop grinding their teeth in the meantime. Your dentist would be the best source of advice, and will be able to make sure that there are no problems regarding the alignment of the child’s teeth.
The most common remedy recommendation is usually a mouth guard. Wearing a mouth guard at night will prevent the child from grinding their teeth and night, and has a very high success rate in reducing the habit. However, your child may feel uncomfortable wearing a mouth guard and for this reason it is wise to look into other treatment options. In many cases hypnosis has been shown a successful way to get people of all ages out of the habit of grinding teeth.
In children whose grinding appears to be down to stress or anxiety it is extremely important to discover the underlying cause for these feelings. Try ways to relax your child before they go to sleep, such as a warm bath and a massage of the jaw. These methods will help to ensure that your child has a deep, relaxing and uninterrupted sleep.
The most important thing is that you needn’t be alarmed by a child’s grinding as it is extremely common. If your child already has their adult teeth then it is more of a worry, though there are many options available so seek advice from your dentist.
Chronic Headaches, Neck Pain? The Cause May Be TMD
A recent survey shows that people often live with painful symptoms, such as headache, neck pain and popping of their jaw, despite seeking medical attention from physicians, neurologists and chiropractors.
A typical case is Julie Bush, a professional photographer living near Toledo, Ohio. For seven years she had migraines and facial pain, and her jaw popped when she chewed. Some days her headaches were so intense she couldn’t work. Painkillers and ice packs applied to her face did not alleviate her pain. “I was a closed-mouth smiler,” she said, adding that “In my business, smiling confidently couldn’t be more important.”
Eventually, she discussed the symptoms with a neuromuscular dentist. After an initial examination, she was fitted with an orthotic and “My headaches were gone right way.”
“Line up your jaw–it completely makes sense,” Bush said. She was fitted with crowns and veneers so her jaw would remain in the optimal position determined by her neuromuscular dentist. Her jaw no longer pops and she has no facial pain.
“Now I have a bright smile, which I show to everyone,” she said. “It’s amazing.”
Headache A Major Symptom
A national survey of neuromuscular dentists shows that the No. 1 symptom their patients suffer from is headaches at 75 percent, including migraines. This is followed by jaw joint pain at 20 percent. Other common symptoms include neck and shoulder pain and ringing in the ears. Sufferers commonly miss work due to the level of pain.
“Interestingly, less than 5 percent of the dentists in the world are trained in neuromuscular dentistry,” said Dr. Bill Dickerson, president of LVI Global in Las Vegas, Nev. Dentists from all over the world attend LVI to learn neuromuscular dentistry.
How TMD Is Treated
After a thorough examination, including a pain-free electronic analysis of the muscles of the jaw, specially trained neuromuscular dentists perform a workup and show the patient how treatment will change the bite and alleviate pain. The neuromuscular dentist then uses a variety of techniques to relax the jaw and find the optimal position. From there an orthotic, much like a mouth guard used by athletes, is made and used to temporarily maintain the optimal position until patients can be fitted with permanent crowns and veneers.
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Jaw pain starts fresh talk
Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of gum. Repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.
“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her 15-year condition as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates 10 million Americans have TMJ symptoms, such restricted jaw movement accompanied by a clicking or popping sound.
Women in their reproductive years are now considered nine times more likely to develop TMJ than men - a finding reshaping traditional assumptions about the causes behind these conditions, according to Dr. Christian Stohler, dean of the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore.
“Today, we realize this is a highly complex disease involving many genes, hormones and a myriad of complex biologic factors,” he said.
Although a number of existing treatments bring relief for most patients, Stohler says, they do not deal with the underlying disease process
“Most of these cases do resolve on their own, but some people suffer for years,” he said.
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Treatment Approaches for Bruxism in Children
Sleep problems are frequent among healthy school going children seen at general pediatric practice. Sleep related problems were reported in 42.7% children that included nocturnal enuresis (18.4%), sleep talking (14.6%), bruxism (11.6%) nightmares (6.8%), night terrors (2.9%) snoring (5.8%) and sleepwalking (1.9%). Bruxism is a destructive habit. It is defined as the nonproductive diurnal or nocturnal clenching or grinding of the teeth.
Bruxism happens in about 15 percent of youngsters and in as many as 96 percent of grown-ups. The etiology of bruxism is unclear. It has been linked with stress, occlusal disorders, allergies and sleep positioning. In addition, type A personality behavior combined with stress is more predictive of bruxism. Because of its nonspecific pathology, bruxism may be difficult to diagnose.
Beside complaints from sleep partners, clenching-grinding, sleep bruxism, myofacial pain, craniomaxillofacial musculoskeletal pain, temporomandibular disorders, oro-facial pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue spectrum disorders are linked. The main clinical signs of bruxism comprise tooth wear, tooth mobility, hypertrophy masticatory muscles, and tender joints. Other symptoms of bruxism are multiple and diverse. They include temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction, head and neck pain, erosion, abrasion, loss of and damage to supporting structures, headaches, oral infection, tooth sensitivity muscle pain and spasm, disturbance of aesthetics, and interference and oral discomfort.
Treatment for bruxism may be simple or complex, depending on the nature of the disorder. Severe bruxism disorders are difficult to treat and their prognoses also may be questionable. Children with bruxism are generally managed with observation and reassurance. Most of the children’s bruxism habit will disappear naturally as they grow up. Adults may be managed with stress reduction therapy, modification of sleep positioning, drug therapy, biofeedback training, physical therapy and dental evaluation. Correction of the malocclusion with orthodontic procedures, restorative procedures, or occlusal adjustment by selective grinding will not control the bruxism habit.
What about prevention? Researchers have found only a weak correlation between different types of morphologic malocclusion such as Class II and III molar relationship, deep bite, overjet, and dental wear or grinding. Moreover, there is no correlation between periodontal disease and bruxism in children. Because the malocclusions’ status in children does not increase the probability of bruxism, early orthodontic treatment (braces) to prevent bruxism is not scientifically justified.
Bruxism is a destructive habit that may result in severe dental deterioration. Bruxism in childhood may be a persistent trait. The occlusal trauma and tooth wear in childhood bruxism can be succeeded by increased anterior tooth wear 20 years later. If your child has significant tooth attrition, dental mobility or tooth fracture may happen. Therefore, it is mandatory to take your child to your dentist for evaluation of bruxism.
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