Bruxism or gnashing of teeth

Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth by rubbing the jaws together.
Many children have a habit of rubbing their teeth together during the night. This can lead to jaw pain.
Not only children, but also adults grit their teeth when they are angry or stressed.

Children can develop the habit of gritting their teeth subconsciously.
The partner notices bruxism because he hears the noise at night. If the crunch is light, it can often not be noticed.
The dental branch that studies chewing problems is gnathology, and the specialist to whom you turn is the gnathologist.

Causes of bruxism or gnashing of teeth

The causes of bruxism are:

stress
When a person is under stress, their sleep can be disturbed. The person concerned could grind his teeth repeatedly and unconsciously.
Anxiety, tension and emotional stress can also be triggering factors for bruxism.
People who suppress anger and frustration often show signs of this disease throughout the day.
These people do not live out their anger and grind their teeth because of the pent-up frustration.

Aggressive personality
In the workplace, highly competitive or aggressive people tend to grind their teeth and clench their fists. This behavior is particularly pronounced when these people are angry or frustrated.

malocclusion
Misalignment of the upper and lower teeth could cause this condition.
If the teeth are not closed correctly, the upper teeth are automatically pressed against the lower teeth in order to adjust them accordingly.

sleep disorders
The sleep disorders are diverse:

snoring
Obstructive sleep apnea
Speak in your sleep
Hypnagogic paralysis
Hypnagogic hallucinations
Violent behavior while sleeping

People with these disorders can suffer from bruxism.
They can mumble or grind their teeth during apnea phases.

lifestyle
The disease may depend on the use of the following active ingredients:

psychoactive substances,
tobacco,
anti-anxiety medication.

underlying disease
There are many disorders and illnesses that cause bruxism. These diseases include Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s chorea. The diseases are associated with gnashing of teeth during the day and at night.
Some causes of childhood bruxism are mentioned in the following list:

Malposition of the teeth (during the change of teeth after the milk dentition),
Pain (caries),
stress,
psychological problems (e.g. anger suppression after abuse).

The following risk factors can promote bruxism:

improper use of medications that cause seizures;
an allergic reaction can lead to jaw closure,
brain lesions,
congenital jaw malformation,
mental disorders such as fear,
increased blood alcohol levels,
excessive use of amphetamines,
Worms (oxyuren) and intestinal parasites (cause irritability),
Trauma (a car accident can lead to whiplash).

Causes of nighttime bruxism in children:

Kieferwachstum,
Malocclusion,
poorly executed crowns and fillings,
TMJ problems,
stress,
inadequate calcium levels.

Symptoms of bruxism and effects on the body

Bruxism is difficult to avoid because it often occurs during sleep. Grinding of teeth causes tension on muscles, tissues and other structures in the jaw area. This causes diseases of the temporomandibular joints. Some people feel no pain, even if they grind their teeth regularly in their sleep.
Slight bruxism is not a problem.
Many people are not aware that bruxism leads to the following symptoms and consequences:

Sore muscles or pain in the area of the lower jaw, upper jaw, cheekbones and temples,
anxiety,
stress,
Insomnia (insomnia),
depression,
nervousness,
Headache migraine),
Muscle pain in the neck. In this case, dizziness or drowsiness in the head can also occur, caused by contractures at a highly cervical level,
Upper back pain (dorsal),
internal cheek injuries,
Deformity of the tongue,
severe facial pain,
Hypersensitivity on teeth to heat, cold or sweets,
worn teeth,
toothache,
tooth loss,
inflamed and swollen gums,
cheek swelling,
Buzzing in the ears or tinnitus,
Pain in one ear (the temporomandibular joints are close to the ear canal),
Feeling of clogged ears,
hearing loss,
enlarged cervical lymph nodes (due to excessive strain on the neck muscles).

Other symptoms that vary due to the following factors:

stress,
Posture while sleeping,
nutrition,
correct tooth position,
Duration of bruxism,
Muscle contractures of the chewing muscles and neck muscles (front and back of the neck).

muscle symptoms
Patients experience morning tiredness due to constant gnashing of teeth during the night.
One of the bruxism symptoms persists throughout the day, from morning onwards: the person feels muscle pain in the face and jaw area.
These symptoms can also radiate and the person feels pain in other areas of the face. People can suffer from severe headaches in the morning.

Other symptoms
Other symptoms include those that are either a direct or indirect consequence of gnashing of teeth.
The involuntary closing of the rows of teeth can damage the structures in the oral cavity.
Biting your cheeks can damage the inner surface of your mouth.

What to do? Therapy for grinding teeth

Many children do not need treatment. If you suffer from moderate or pronounced bruxism, it is recommended to consult the dentist.

If malocclusion is a problem, the tooth position must be corrected.
The pain can make chewing difficult.
Dentists implant a crown to reshape the occlusal surface of the tooth. This treatment does not solve the real problem of bruxism.
Osteopathy can help resolve the chewing problem caused by TMJ dysfunction (Temporomandibular articulation) is caused.

meditation exercises and a warm bath tub help reduce stress before bed and stress is one of the causes of bruxism. Relaxation exercises support coping with stress.

Specialists recommend speech therapy to treat this "bad habit". The speech therapist recommends physiotherapeutic exercises and postures in order to bring the jaw to the mouth in a correct position and to avoid gnashing of teeth.
A common practice is to press the tongue against the roof of the mouth, keeping the teeth apart and closing the lips.

Pharmacological therapy for relaxation in children is not recommended due to the side effects and possible dependence.
Dietary supplements. Eat foods that are rich in vitamin B, calcium and magnesium. Chewing calcium tablets before going to bed reduces involuntary muscle contractions in the jaw.
It is recommended to take multivitamin supplements on a daily basis after first asking the doctor which vitamins can be helpful.

Mouthguard
The use of a mouth guard does not treat the disease, but it helps prevent tooth damage.
The dentist checks that the mouthguard is working properly.
He must ensure that the dental splint is adapted to the patient’s mouth.
There are currently various types of mouthguards available on the market: a bite guard, which is called NTI-tss, is inserted into the upper dental arch and protects both arches.
A mouth guard helps to change the alignment of the teeth.
This aid is made of acrylic and adapts to both rows of teeth.
Mouth protection is expensive, but it is the best solution.

Injections and operations
In some severe cases, injections are recommended to treat bruxism. Injections lead to muscle relaxation to avoid gnashing of teeth. Care must be taken not to relax the muscles too much so that the jaw and chewing movements are not excessively impaired.

If deformation of the jaw is the main cause of bruxism, the patient must undergo orthodontic correction using braces.

Finally, surgery may be required to resolve the problem. In some patients the use of a bite splint helps against the constant gnashing of teeth. Surgery must be seen as a last resort.

Modern mouthguard: The patient can use a device to monitor the electromyographic activity (EMG) of the temporal muscle. The device records muscle contractions and transmits electrical stimulation (CES) to the receptors in the skin.
The CES is responsible for the inhibitory reflex of the brain stem: it relaxes the jaw muscles and blocks the closing of the jaw reflexively.

Natural remedies for bruxism during the night

Most children recover spontaneously until adolescence.
To curb bruxism, the causes of the problems need to be addressed.
In the following, some suggestions are made that can be useful for curing this clinical picture.

heat application: This method is effective for relaxing the jaw muscles, especially in children. Place a hot, damp cloth on both cheeks for ten minutes before going to bed. The warmth has a calming effect on the cheek muscles. A warm bath before bed helps for the same reasons.

pine massage: Mix a teaspoon of almond oil with a few drops of lavender extract. Use this oil mixture for massage. Relaxation in this area prevents gnashing of teeth.

Mouth splint: Parents can introduce their child to an odontologist in order to receive a customized device that reduces symptoms. It is worn at night to prevent teeth grinding and mouth injuries. The rail is very expensive.

stress reduction: Stress is a major cause of bruxism. Stress treatment and cognitive behavior therapy have proven very successful in this context. Meditation and regular exercises are good for relaxing your body and mind

A few sessions are considered natural treatments acupuncture, that serve relaxation.

Natural remedies that promote relaxation and sleep are:

home remedies

Natural methods are used in combination with dental prescriptions.
Eating fruit before bed is a good oral exercise and reduces the episodes of bruxism during sleep. Alternatively, chewing gum can be chewed.
You can put a warm towel on your face before bed. The cloth helps to relax the jaw muscles.
A hot bath and a massage can also relax your mind and body and sooth your teeth grinding.
People suffering from bruxism should sleep on their back because the symptoms worsen when lying on their side.
You can drink a cup of herbal tea without sugar before going to bed.

How high is the temperature when the teeth get teeth in children, competent about health on ilive

High temperature when teething children: I have to shoot? All iLive content is medically checked or checked for accuracy. We have strict procurement…
Loss of milk teeth, age, 4 years, symptoms, children, caries, teeth, dentition

Loss of milk teeth When do the milk teeth begin to fail in children? A few months after birth, the parents wonder when the milk teeth will grow. It is…
Milk teeth with overdosage of fluoride

milk teeth with overdosage of fluorine > September 18 Good oral hygiene starts with milk teeth. Care for milk teeth also to prevent discoloration or…
Pain sensitive teeth – what to do with sensitive teeth?

Sensitive teeth Sensitive teeth cause tooth pain – causes, treatment and prophylaxis Anyone who suffers from teeth that are sensitive to pain will feel…