Bruxism is a condition in which people clench, grit, grind or gnash their teeth unintentionally. It’s a common problem faced by people of al...
Bruxism is a condition in which people clench, grit, grind or gnash their teeth unintentionally. It’s a common problem faced by people of all age groups worldwide. Those who have bruxism may unconsciously clench the teeth either during the day or at night. When they do it at night, it’s then known as sleep bruxism.
When bruxism is mild in nature, it may not need any treatment but when it’s severe and frequent, it can lead to a series of problems, including jaw disorders, damaged teeth, headaches etc. In most cases, people are not even aware that they have bruxism and this happens mostly with those facing the sleep bruxism.
Let's see a beautiful infographics created on Bruxism below:
Effects of Bruxism
Bruxism, if goes on for a prolonged period of time, can have some harmful effects for sure. Its effects can be wide-ranging and thus, people should not ignore and get it treated at the earliest.
Here are some of potential effects of Bruxism -
- Teeth can wear down gradually
- Loosening of teeth from the gums
- Fracturing and losing of teeth
- Arching jaws and receding gums
- Tooth pain, chronic headaches and jaw joint disorders
- Sleep disturbances
- Teeth and Jaw Clenching
- Sore and tired jaw muscles
What causes Bruxism?
Doctors are not complete sure about the exact causes of bruxism but they attribute this problem to a number of factors or also to a combination of a number of factors. These factors can either be physical or psychological in nature, deepening on the intensity of the problem.
Causes to Bruxism include -
- Stress and anxiety are two of leading mental or psychological problems leading to Bruxism
- Work-related stress of high level can also be a trigger for sleep bruxism
- People who are stressed or anxious may also take to grinding or clenching their jaw or teeth
- Sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), can lead people to grind their teeth while sleeping
- Taking certain types of medication, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, can cause side effects and lead to grinding or clenching of teeth
- Excessive drinking or smoking or consuming recreational drugs or drinking caffeinated drinks can lead to bruxism
- People facing an abnormal alignment of upper and lower teeth (malocclusion) can grind their teeth
- Children can clench or grind their teeth due in response to pain from earache
In overall, you should fix a meeting with the Dentist Mineola on an immediate basis when the nature of bruxism is of severe variety.
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