Treatment For Bruxism And Grinding
What is Bruxism?
Most of us wouldn’t have heard much about ‘Bruxism’ as people are hardly aware of it. Grinding your teeth or clenching them is termed as Bruxism. When people grind their teeth during sleep, it is termed as nocturnal Bruxism. Most of the times Bruxism is due to high-stress levels and anxiety.
Reasons for Bruxism
- It could be a habit in general.
- It could be a way of the body to react when the teeth fail to align together.
- It could be due to a problem in the nerves and muscles.
- It could be due to the side-effects of medicines that treats anxiety and depression.
Symptons for Bruxism
- Pain in the face
- A slight headache in the morning
- Injured gums
- Broken dental fillings
- Damaged teeth
- Swelling of the lower jaw
- Contractions of the jaw muscles
Ways to Prevent Bruxism
Bruxism can occur in kids as well as adults. Kids under the age of 5 are more prone to Bruxism. It is always better to visit a dentist and find out about the cause of your Bruxism as your treatment would depend on it. If it is due to your stress, Bruxism cannot be cured till you control your stress levels. If Bruxism is due to the dental issues, it will be alright once your teeth are realigned. Here are a few ways to prevent it:
- Control your stress levels to deal with Bruxism.
- Reduce your caffeine and tobacco intake.
- Use bite splint to reduce the pressure on facial muscles.
- Hot compresses can equally help you to deal with Bruxism
Ways to Treat Bruxism
- Medicines : If you are on anti-depression pills, the side-effects might lead to Bruxism. Your doctor might prescribe you pills to deal with Bruxism or he might change the anti-depression pills.
- Dental Issues : Bruxism could be due to dental problems and once these problems are rectified, Bruxism will be cured. The dentist might use crowns or onlays to give a shape to the biting surface of your teeth. Your teeth can be further protected by using a bite splint and mouth guard.
- A check on stress levels : Stress is a part of everyone’s life and it is difficult to deal with it. Medications might be prescribed to control stress or you might be asked to opt for counseling or psychotherapy. The biofeedback exercises are also recommended. You can also visit a doctor to have a check on your stress levels and the medicines to control it. Once your stress levels are under control, Bruxism will gradually come down.
