Bruxism- Defination, Treatments, Tips, And More

Defination of Bruxism

Bruxism is an involuntary grinding and grinding of teeth. In sleep bruxism, this forced grinding occurs when a person is asleep. Sleep bruxism is common in children, adolescents and young adults but can affect people of any age.

During sleep, people are generally unaware of the grinding of their teeth. As a result, they can apply considerable pressure – up to 250 pounds of energy – which can erode the teeth, causing jaw and neck pain, triggering headaches and leading to chronic problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

There is no cure to stop tooth grinding completely; treatment will reduce its frequency and effectiveness and relieve symptoms. In addition, home care tips can help you combat sleep bruxism.

When Should You See A Doctor About Sleep Bruxism?

If you have pain from grinding your teeth in your mouth, jaw or neck, you should talk to your doctor or dentist. Sleep bruxism can cause severe damage to your oral and sleep health, and health professionals can help prevent more severe problems on the road.

A doctor or dentist can also diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can occur along with other conditions such as grinding your teeth, which may require further examination or treatment.

Treatments for Sleep Bruxism

Sleep bruxism treatment involves multiple components to manage pain and other symptoms and also reduces the severity of tooth grinding and its potential consequences.

Although you can take steps at home to help with tooth grinding, it is important to talk to your dentist or doctor, who can recommend the proper treatment for your specific condition.

Managing Pain And Other Symptoms

Tightening and grinding teeth at night can put pressure on the mouth and jaw and tighten the muscles in the neck. Relieving this pain is an important part of treating sleep bruxism.

Home Care Tips To Combat Sleep Bruxism

Many home care tips can help prevent and resolve irritation from sleep bruxism to teeth, jaw and neck:

• Avoid harsh foods such as nuts, popcorn and many hard candies
• Be careful with peanut butter and other sticky foods that are hard to chew
• Do not chew gum
• Adjust your sleeping position or pillow for extra head and neck support
• Use a hot compress or ice pack to reduce pain
• Oral exercises to combat sleep bruxism
• Many oral exercises can help reduce pain and improve the range of motion in the jaw.
• An exercise shown to relax the muscles involved in tooth grinding follows these steps:

Step by Step

• Step 1: Gently close your lips while preventing them from touching your upper and lower teeth
• Step 2: Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth without brushing your teeth
• Step 3: Clutch this position for as long as you can

Another Exercise To Help With Jaw Movement Is This One:

• Step 1: Place your hands on your TMJ joints (where the lower jaw connects)
• Step 2: Slowly open your mouth
• Step 3: Keep your mouth open for 5-10 seconds
• Step 4: Slowly close your mouth

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Do 3 Times A Day, Exercise For 10 Minutes Each Time

A few minutes of these exercises can help relax and stretch the muscles involved in grinding and tightening teeth several times a day.

To develop a specific exercise routine, talk to your doctor or dentist. Referral to a physical therapist allows one to join hands to formulate a way of oral exercises. It will ensure that you do the exercises correctly to prevent injury and get the maximum level of muscle relaxation.

Massage

Some patients benefit from head and neck massages to reduce muscle soreness and pain points related to tooth grinding. In addition, a massage therapist or physical therapist may demonstrate home-used massage or techniques to relax the jaw and nearby muscles.

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Medical and Dental Treatments For Sleep Bruxism

Not everyone with sleep bruxism needs treatment, but when symptoms such as morning headaches and jaw pain, unrefined sleep or the risk of chronic tooth decay are frequent, we can consider several treatment options.

Mouth Guards

Mouthguards, sometimes called nightguards or dental splints, are worn during sleep to combat tooth grinding. These mouthpieces keep the jaw in a particular position and provide a barrier to reducing tooth loss from grinding. In addition, some mouth guards keep the jaw slightly open, allowing the macular muscles (chewing muscles) to rest throughout the night. Mouth guards can go over the entire set of upper or lower teeth or, in some cases, cover a small part of the patient’s mouth.

Another type of mouthpiece is the Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD), which is well known for reducing chronic snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea. The MAD is held by the teeth and keeps the lower jaw forward, which helps to keep the airway open and, in some cases, limits the grinding range of the teeth. It will most commonly use when there is bruxism with sleep apnea.

Some mouth guards and MADs are available over the counter and can be adjusted to fit your mouth, but most patients get custom mouthpieces designed by the dentist.

Although they do not cure sleep bruxism, mouth guards can reduce the effect of bruxism, reduce dental wear and tear, reduce morning headaches and improve sleep quality.

Stress Reduction

Stress is a common contributor to tooth grinding, so relaxation techniques are a natural approach to help. Much of the use of relaxation techniques is sleep hygiene, and getting good sleep empowers a person to respond to stress healthily.

Drugs

In some cases of refraction and severe cases that persist despite conventional treatment, medications may consider by health care professionals. Remedies for bruxism may not be effective, and all have potential side effects. Various medications can be considered, including Botox injections, when grinding teeth is severe. These drugs try to reduce the activity in the facial muscles. Discuss the risks and benefits of bruxism treatment options with your healthcare provider before starting treatment

Tips For Bedridden People Who Grind Teeth

Bed partners are often distracted by the grinding noise of teeth and find it very difficult to get the sleep they need. There are several steps you can take to begin the process of preparation for mediation:

Conclution

Encouraging their partner to see a doctor or dentist for treatment Wear ear plugs or headphones to prevent tooth grinding noises Grinding teeth is less noticeable by producing background sounds using a fan or white noise machine.

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