Bruxism

Bruxism is a common problem that has been faced by a number of people irrespective of their knowledge that they are suffering from Bruxism. This is commonly known as grinding of the tooth. The grinding of the teeth or clenching of the teeth is done as a result of anxiety. Some studies have pointed this activity as a habit. Other has yet pointed it out to stomach and digestive disorders. People grind their teeth, for the purpose of which, some of them make use of their incisors teeth yet others make use of their molars. People do it in the day or in the night while sleep; more often than not they do it sub-consciously. The nighttime activity goes un-noticed by the sufferer, and at times it is quite loud that they wake up their sleeping partner.

Causes:

Teeth grinding is a medical condition wherein a person unconsciously clenches his or her teeth, usually while asleep.Teeth grinding or bruxism, is not merely a habit. In fact, it is a condition that is currently being addressed by today's medicine. Doctors believe that bruxism is caused by a number of factors. Here are five examples of the common causes of teeth grinding.

1. Stress:
Stress is the most common reason for bruxism. Most doctors suppose that stress is the primary cause of teeth grinding during sleep. Stress can disrupt a persons sleeping cycle. If a particular sleeping pattern is disrupted, the person ends up clenching their teeth unconsciously and intermittently during sleep. This is where a lot of researchers are currently focusing on, as this explanation is the one most common.

2. Frustration and suppressed anger :
There are many instances that a person clenches his fist or teeth if he is very angry with somebody or something. Many psychologists believe that this is the reason why people clench their teeth during the day. Suppressed anger is wrath a person cant let out. This can be quite hard to manage. People who end up grinding their teeth in frustration or anger should consult with a qualified psychiatrist to address the problem.

3. Aggressive personality:
This factor causing bruxism is related to anger and frustration. Just like the former reason, this one also deals with ones emotions. But unlike suppressed anger, aggressiveness is expressed anger. In this case, the person lets out all his frustration and anger towards the intended subject. This person may unconsciously grind their teeth in the process.

4. Abnormal alignment of teeth:
The abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth is referred to as malocclusion. This is one of the physical causes of teeth grinding.Dental experts believe that if there is something abnormal about the structure of a persons teeth, they grind involuntarily against each other as they make contact. While this is another feasible cause of bruxism, it is yet to be confirmed with clinical studies.

Symptoms:

Since teeth grinding takes place during sleep, it is nearly impossible to tell when you are suffering from it. Usually it takes a sleeping partner to inform the sufferer of his or her problem, and that is only because the teeth grinding is keeping the partner awake.

If you or your sleeping partner have noticed symptoms of teeth grinding, you should discuss it with your dentist, who can usually confirm teeth grinding with an examination. Your dentist will look for several signs of teeth grinding, including:
1.chewed tissue on inside of cheek
2.cracking of teeth
3.earaches caused by violent muscle contractions
4.flattened and worn-down teeth
5.ground down teeth
6.joint damage in the jaw or jaw tension
7.headache in the morning
8.loosened teeth
9.pain in the jaw joint and/or muscles
10.tooth sensitivity due to chipping of enamel.

Home Remedies:

Your teeth grinding habits could produce damaging effects not only to your teeth and gums but to the rest of your body as well. If you grind your teeth as you sleep, chances are, you are not getting the necessary amount of sleep that your body needs. And your sleeping companion suffers the same way that you do.

Therefore, it is very important that you treat teeth grinding once you realize that you have it. Ignoring the problem would only make it much worse. You can go to the dentist or the doctor to have your teeth and health analyzed. And to make sure that you experience relief in your condition right away, you can try these effective home remedies for teeth grinding or bruxism.

1. Munch on an apple, carrot, or cauliflower.
Before going to bed at night, you can try chewing on any of these fruits and vegetables. Chewing is an exercise of your mouth and your gums. And it would definitely calm your mouth a little before you sleep. A calm mouth means reduced instances of teeth grinding throughout the night.

2. Use warm washcloth.
Another way of relaxing the jaw muscles of your mouth is to put a washcloth dipped in lukewarm water around your face. Make sure that the washcloth runs from one side of your face to the other. Doing this would prevent your jaws from clenching. Head pains will also be prevented. Try to practice this every night before you go to sleep and you should be able to experience total relief from teeth grinding in no time.

3. Pamper yourself with a warm massage and a warm bath.
Teeth grinding is usually triggered by a long day at the office. Stress from too much work is the main reason why you grind your teeth at night. To counter stress, allow yourself to enjoy a long warm bath before going to bed. You can also request for a warm massage right after. Doing all of these would relieve your body of stress and give you a good night's sleep.

4. Sleep on your back.
There is no best position to keep your teeth from clenching other than lying flat on your back as you sleep. Sleeping on your sides would only increase the chances that you will do some teeth grinding activities during the night. Try to keep yourself from sleeping on your sides or on your stomach.

5. Drink warm milk or hot herbal tea before going to bed.
If you have to drink something before going to sleep, make sure that its tea or milk. The warmer they are, the better. Never drink alcohol during the night. Doing so would only make you grind your teeth in sleep.

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