Can bruxism wreak havoc on your day and night? Absolutely. Bruxism is a problem, but with the right attention and treatment you can live a full life regardless. Do not let any problem go unchecked, treat your symptoms, see your Dentist, and before you know it you’ll be like “Whatxism?”
Jaw Clenching, Bruxism, and grinding your teeth
Sometimes when you’re chewing, you miss the food and your teeth grind. It happens to everyone, and it happens more frequently than you may have ever considered. Our teeth are made of sturdy stuff, and usually there is no long term result. Your molar and back chewing-grinding teeth are usually the first teeth you get as an adult, and as a result we depend on them more. They are the oldest teeth in your mouth and they tend to start degrading first.
Bruxism is the result of involuntary and unconscious activities which cause your jaws to clench, your masticatory muscles to activate, and your teeth to grind together. Bruxism is linked to activations of your Automatic Nervous system, throughout the night, in what is called micro-arousals. During these arousals, you are awakened while sleeping, and your heart rate and breathing quicken, and your nervous system reacts. Something about this triggers your jaw muscles to clench and move, and sometimes grind your teeth together. You can also have awake bruxism, where this reaction happens while you are conscious, but it is involuntary. If you notice your body doing this, or you experience jaw, ear, or tooth pain frequently upon waking, you should see a dental care professional.
What can you do next?
Go see a dentist or dental professional. A nice thorough checkup and cleaning will help to ascertain the extent of any grinding damage. If your teeth are sensitive, inflamed, or in pain, this may be the root cause. You may need to undergo an overnight sleep study, like a Polysomnography, for further diagnosis. Make sure you discuss the necessity of this with your dentist and your insurance provider. It is also helpful to have a partner or family member who can observe you during sleep for signs of teeth grinding, or wear a sleep tracker to get a sense of how often you wake. If you have any other common sleep disorders, you are more likely to have or develop Bruxism.
Treatment
If you have been diagnosed, or suspect you have bruxism, you have several treatment options.
1. Treat your symptoms. Assess the damage and act appropriately. Try to get good sleep. Take pain medication to reduce your daytime suffering.
2. Stress Reduction. Stress has direct links to conditions like bruxism. While there is no guarantee treatment, stress reduction helps your whole body, and your mind. Try some meditation or mindfulness apps, set aside time to relax before bed.
3. Exercise. Exercise is proven to help reduce stress, provide better sleep, and reduce ramifications of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea goes hand in hand with bruxism. Exercising and losing weight can have great effects for the balanced ecosystem of your body, one such aspect is treating bruxism.
See your Dentist, consult with your insurance, and take care of yourself. Conditions like bruxism have no single identifying cause, so you need to treat your whole health.