Chapter 1
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
What is Bruxism (teeth grinding)?
Recently I have an elderly woman who complained of teeth grinding in addition to mouth ulcers.
She complained of pain in the teeth and jaw muscles.
Bruxism occurs when you clench (tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together) or grind (slide your teeth back and forth over each other) the teeth.
Bruxism can be subdivided into:
1. Awake Bruxism when you are awake
2. Sleep Bruxism when you are asleep
What are the causes of Bruxism?
Causes
There are patients who clench and grind their teeth without being aware of it.
This clenching and grinding of teeth happen at both the day time and night time although sleep-related bruxism is often a more serious problem because it is harder to treat.
The cause of bruxism is not completely agreed upon..
The causes of Bruxism are complex issues.
1. Stress can be a risk factor in many people.
Many people may not realize that they are clenching their teeth.
Pain in bruxism and other problems will have factors that vary from person to person.
They may include:
1. Stress
2. Alcohol intake
3. Tobacco
4. Misaligned teeth
5. Drugs
6. Oral habits
7. Sleeping habits
What are the symptoms of Bruxism?
Symptoms
Pressure is exerted on the muscles, tissues, and structures around the jaw when the teeth are clenched.
Temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ) may occur from clenching of the teeth and jaws.
Grinding can also wear down the teeth.
The grinding sound can be noisy enough at night to disturb the sleep of the partners.
Symptoms of bruxism include:
1. Anxiety, stress, and tension
2. Depression
3. Earache (due in part because the structures of the temporomandibular joint are very near to the external ear canal, and if there is pain at a site other than its source this pain is called referred pain)
4. Eating disorders
5. Headache
6. Muscle tenderness, especially in the morning
7. Hot, cold, or sweet sensitivity in the teeth
8. Insomnia
9. Sore or painful jaw
10. Premature wearing down of teeth
11. Fracture of teeth
How is Bruxism diagnosed?
Diagnosis:
An examination can rule out other disorders that may cause similar jaw pain or ear pain, including:
1. Dental disorders
2. Ear disorders, such as ear infections
3. Problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
4. You may have a history of a high stress level and tension.
What are the complications of Bruxism?
Complications
1. Depression
2. Eating disorders
3. Insomnia
4. Increased dental or TMJ problems
5. Fractured teeth
6. Receding gums
7. Nightly grinding can awaken roommates or sleeping partners.
8. Sensitivity of lower back teeth to acid
What is the treatment of Bruxism?
Treatment
The goals of treatment are to:
1. Reduce clenching as much as possible.
2. Prevent permanent damage to the teeth
3. Reduce pain
Finally, there have been many methods of treatment to assist people unlearn their clenching behaviors.
These methods in daytime clenching have more success than night clenching.
Relaxation and modification of awake behavior will be sufficient to reduce day time and night time bruxism.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Teeth Grinding
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Gingivitis
Chapter 8 Dental Caries
