Clenching And Grinding

Do you grind your teeth day or night? Do you know what its causes are? Here we explain it to you and offer you alternatives to improve your quality of life

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Introduction

Grinding or Clenching

Grinding or clenching of teeth is medically known as bruxism. Grinding or clenching could be conscious or unconscious. Most people grind or clench occasionally, that could cause no harm, but when teeth grinding occur on a regular basis that can lead to damaging in oral tissues causing other oral health complications.

Why do people clench or grind their teeth: the reasons for teeth grinding is not always clear and can vary from patient to patient. At Channel Islands Family Dental, our experts work tirelessly to diagnose the physical, psychological or genetic factors that can cause bruxism.

Bruxism is broadly classified into two types

Awake Bruxism: grinding or clenching of teeth caused during the day while being awake. It is usually related to emotional issues, such as feeling anxious, stressed or angry.

Sleep Bruxism: On the other hand, when someone grind or clench their teeth while being asleep. Our specialist at Channel Islands family dental office, explains our patients since they asleep they are unaware of the condition, and an lead to jaw pains and other problems related to oral health. In some kids, grinding happens due to the improper alignment of upper and lower jaws. In some cases, it can happen as a response to teething or pain in the ear. In adult or young children, stress and anxiety is generally the cause for teeth grinding or jaw clenching.

Lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, recreational drugs or consuming a lot of caffeine can also cause night grinding or clenching.

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can also be one of the reasons for bruxism.

How to diagnose: Teeth grinding or jaw clenching usually happens during the sleep and is most likely noticed by parents or siblings. However, having a constant dull headache or sore jaw after waking up could be symptoms of bruxism. If you think you or someone in your family may be grinding their teeth in sleep, talk to your dentist. Dental specialist can examine you physically examine your mouth for any signs of bruxism such as tenderness in jaw and wear and tear to rule out other causes like ear infections.

Symptoms of clenching and grinding

Teeth grinding or clenching usually happens during sleep that makes it difficult for a patient to identify their symptoms. However, signs that you may look for includes:

Disrupted sleep
Headaches or facial pain after waking up
Pain in the ear
Wear or enamel loss
Painful or loose teeth
Soreness in jaw muscles
Tooth fracture by excessive pressure
TMJ sounds like clicking or popping
Pain while chewing
Lock jaw

Treatment and methods to prevent

The treatment for grinding and clenching of teeth generally includes use of night guards, a retainer like instrument worn overnight, to prevent damage to the teeth and other oral tissues. it won’t stop grinding or clenching but will help in reducing the symptoms.

Our dentists at Channel Islands Family Dental take different approaches to treat bruxism based on specific symptoms and stressors that include:

Medications: muscle relaxants can help relax the jaw muscles and prevent grinding.

Lifestyle modifications: stress management and relaxation training can be identified as a useful aid to help the patients reduce the symptoms and complications of bruxism.

Other preventive methods include:

Avoid foods or drinks containing caffeine, cola or chocolate
Avoid alcohol
Do not chew on pens or anything that is not food
Be aware about chewing or grinding during the day. Try to stop yourself by keeping your lips together, with teeth apart and tongue behind the front teeth.