Teeth Grinding: Understanding Bruxism and Finding Relief

A condition of unconscious grinding your teeth or clenching them tightly, often in sleep, is called bruxism in medical terms, which has been faced by many people worldwide. Clenching of teeth in anxiety or gritting teeth in anger is a common occurrence, but having a habit of continuously doing that subconsciously is harmful to your health. 

These habits of grinding, gnashing, and tightly clenching will not harm if they are done occasionally, because more often than not it is a sign of visible emotions, and it does not harm your jaw health and teeth too much. However, chronic bruxism will lead to significant damage to your teeth, increased jaw disorders, and severe headaches. 

If you also feel that you are developing the habit of clenching your teeth more often than not and considering getting help from professionals, consult a dentist in Bloomfield, NJ To understand the problem better and to get help in finding the relief you need. 

Understanding Bruxism, Its Causes and Symptoms

The condition bruxism is categorized into two types; one is awake bruxism, and the other is sleep bruxism. Awake bruxism is usually triggered by emotions like stress and anxiety, and while experiencing those, you may clench or grind your teeth excessively, but in sleep bruxism, the problem with the abnormal jaw is what leads to grinding and clenching of your jaw tightly. 

Commonly found causes are emotions, or mainly overwhelming emotions, like stress and anxiety, and people experiencing too much stress more frequently will unknowingly develop this habit. If you are experiencing conditions like sleep apnea, it can also lead to developing the habit of clenching your teeth to avoid breathing interruptions. Uneven bites will also cause your jaw to exert excess pressure, which might lead to grinding for a better bite and chew.

Symptoms like:

  • Experiencing persistent headaches, particularly in the morning, which is a result of sleep bruxism.
  • Jaw pain and tightness
  • Chipped or flattened teeth over time
  • Increased tooth sensitivity 

How Does It Impact Oral Health?

This habit of continuous grinding can significantly affect your oral health, and over a period if it is not properly treated, some long-term issues may arise too. If there is continuous grinding of teeth, it will wear down the tooth enamel, a protective layer for maintaining sensitivity in teeth. This will lead to increased tooth sensitivity and a higher risk of developing cavities. 

It will also make teeth flattened and fractured, and then you will need crown implants to fix them. Clenching and gnashing teeth puts an excess amount of strain on the temporomandibular joints, a hinge that connects your jaw to the skull, and will lead to jaw pain and difficulties in opening and closing the mouth. 

The pressure put on gums when grinding will cause them to recede over time and expose the tooth’s root, which will increase the risk of developing gum diseases. 

How Can You Ease The Pain?

To fight this condition, not only dental intervention will be needed but also some lifestyle changes. Like mouth guards, which are mainly for those experiencing sleep bruxism, they will reduce the pressure of grinding due to the presence of a cushion kept between teeth. 

If the grinding is due to a misaligned bite fixing alignment with the help of orthodontic treatments like braces and aligners will give you relief. In some cases, to relax the jaw muscle and reduce grinding intensity, botox injections are also given. While these are treatment methods, some lifestyle changes and emotional management will also help in preventing it altogether.

Like managing stress, awake bruxism is mainly due to emotional stress and anxiety; therefore, using techniques to manage stress is very important. Practicing deep breathing and relaxation techniques will not increase your emotional state to physically react to it. In case of any underlying issue, get help from a counselor and therapist to manage stress.

Some lifestyle changes that you need to make are maintaining sleep hygiene and a better sleep environment to calm your mind during sleep. Make sure to avoid excess intake of caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, specifically just before going to sleep. Try gentle jaw exercises and stretching to reduce tension there. 

Getting professional help as soon as you notice the first signs, will help you to get less hurt and cause less damage, and thus you will be able to find relief soon.

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