Bruxism/Teeth grinding disorder: danger & causes & treatment

The period between the ages of 6 and 13 is our tooth replacement period when teeth grinding may occur in order to adapt to the grinding. However, teens and adults who grind their teeth frequently after the period of tooth replacement are a pathological condition. Grinding not only affects the aesthetics of the teeth but also damages the quality of the teeth, damages the gums causing bleeding or causes tooth loss.

What is bruxism?

Teeth grinding is the unconscious act of grinding or clenching the upper and lower teeth against each other while sleeping or awake.  It is also called “night grinding” because it occurs mostly at night while sleeping. 

As a result of grinding teeth at night, the teeth knock together strongly causing excessive wear of the protective material on the surface of the teeth and exposing the dentin. In light cases, the teeth may be sensitive to cold, hot, sour, sweet and other stimulating foods, while in heavy cases, the gums may bleed and become inflamed, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out.

In addition, prolonged teeth grinding can lead to a series of complications. For example, teeth grinding can lead to fatigue and pain in the chewing muscles and cheek pain due to lack of rest for the chewing muscles. In serious cases, it can lead to headaches and neck and back pain, and can also lead to decreased sleep quality, memory loss, bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth, damage to hearing and taste, psychological depression, and other terrible consequences.

Causes of teeth grinding

1. Nervousness, psychological anxiety, depression, anger, and other psychological factors
2. Gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine disorders
3. Excessive fatigue, long-term fine workers, such as watchmakers, etc.
4. lack of trace elements or parasites in the body
5. Habitual teeth grinding formed by long-term grinding
6. work pressure, physical exertion, long-term life irregularity
7. In addition to the causes, introverted, emotional people are also prone to suffer from teeth grinding disease.

What are the dangers of teeth grinding?

Although nocturnal teeth grinding is not as life-threatening as some diseases, it can bring harm to human health. Its main hazards are as follows.

1. Severe wear and tear on dental tissues

The main component of the tooth is dentin, and in the crown part of the dentin has an outer layer of milky, hard enamel. The central part of the tooth is rich in blood vessels and nerves. When we grind our teeth during sleep, the upper and lower teeth rub directly, not only with great force, but also for a long time, as a result, it will cause the enamel to wear away, resulting in me your teeth to cold, hot, sour, sweet feel irritation or pain, or even tooth necrosis.

2. Damage to the tissues around the teeth 

Abrasion can cause gingivitis and periodontitis, causing premature loosening or loss of teeth. 

3. Affect the health of the temporomandibular joint 

Long-term grinding of teeth not only has an effect on the jaw joint, but in serious cases, it can also damage the entire joint bone. 

4. Causes facial muscle pain and headache 

Most patients with bruxism wake up with a headache or jaw fatigue. Pain can also occur when chewing, biting, yawning or talking. 

5. Causes mental burden 

If a person with teeth grinding disorder needs to sleep in the same room with others, it may affect others to sleep, thus leading to their own poor psychological stress. 

How to treat teeth grinding disorder?

1. Psychological treatment

Patients who grind their teeth because of mental tension need to first eliminate their tension, release unnecessary concerns and arrange their work rationally. You will need to receive treatment from a psychologist if necessary.

2. Occlusal plate treatment

Have your dentist make a dental pad for you, sleep on it at night and remove it when you wake up. It can relieve muscle tension and prevent tooth grinding wear. 

3. Relax the jaw muscles 

Excessive tension in the jaw muscles is one of the causes of bruxism. You can relieve the tension by massaging and performing physiological function training of the chewing muscles. 

4. Correct bad dental habits

If you have the habit of chewing unilaterally, chewing pencil, chewing gum frequently, etc., you should quit it in time.

5. Adjust the bite of teeth

Establishing a balanced relationship between your bite and teeth can help you eliminate teeth grinding. For patients with malocclusion, orthodontic treatment or restoration is needed first.

6. Enteral therapy

Performing intestinal treatment can reduce the irritation of the intestinal wall caused by the peristalsis of intestinal parasites. Tooth grinding caused by roundworms is usually seen in children, so worm treatment methods are not effective for adolescents and adults.