There are many people who suffer bruxism and they don't know it. Often, it is not until the person goes to the dentist and is alerted of the suspicion, or goes for a sleep study, that the patient does not realize that they suffer from this disorder, which is much more common than they think. you could be imagining. Maybe it happens to you too and, if that's your case, don't worry! Don't feel like a weirdo, because bruxism is a very common illness among today's population. Stress is largely responsible for its appearance and the good news is that it has a remedy, or at least, you can do something to prevent it from harming you.
In this article we want to tell you What is bruxism and what symptoms does it have? so you can confirm your suspicions. Although in the end it will be a dentist who can give you the most accurate diagnosis and the solution to prevent it from continuing to affect you.
Pay close attention to how you wake up and how your teeth are, whether your mouth hurts or whether you show signs of wear on your teeth. Maybe your jaw even hurts, like when you're tense or, rather, you actually have tension built up there, in your jaw, neck, mouth and even a headache.
It doesn't matter how old you are, because there is no age for bruxism and it can affect children and adults alike. There are different symptoms and also different types of bruxism depending on how it affects you. There is also no single cause that causes it and the treatment will depend directly on it.
What is bruxism
Bruxism consists of grinding, clenching or grinding the teeth. Obviously, while this is happening, the person does not realize it, because then it would not be bruxism. It can occur during sleep or while awake and, in fact, the most common thing is that it happens while we sleep, so we cannot control it. It is said that this disease is a silent enemy because it attacks when you are not aware, so you cannot avoid it or find a solution until it is too late.
It is also not easy to get rid of suffering from it, especially among today's population who live so immersed in stressful situations that they are not able to release their emotions while having their eyes open and, often, the escape route from negative emotions and tensions in the body. It takes place during sleep. A kind of self-torture of which we are not aware until one day we feel strange pains in our jaw and, when we look in the mirror, we observe that our teeth seem to have spent half their lives gnawing on cables or tree branches, as if they were teeth. of a rodent, with the difference that our teeth do not grow and do not come back.
Nocturnal bruxism/daytime bruxism
Although both types of bruxism can be due to stress, in which it occurs during the day, while we are sleeping, there seems to be unanimity in the approach that the person suffers from an extremely high level of anxiety that does not allow them to control their movements. . The person is awake and, even so, clenches his teeth so much that they are going to burst any day. But he keeps pushing.
The most common form of bruxism is during the night and we experience some discomfort when we wake up, such as the unpleasant sensation that your jaw has been clenched and it hurts.
What symptoms does bruxism give?
We have just told you the most obvious symptom of bruxism: you wake up with a jaw pain which can even affect your cheeks, neck and temples. Similar to when you have a tension headache, but affecting the jaw and face.
In addition, there are other symptoms to take into account, such as tooth wear, tooth sensitivity, headaches and earaches, stuck jaw feeling that it is difficult for you to move it normally, tinnitus and sleep disorders, such as insomnia or difficulty sleeping through the night.
In extreme cases, it may even be difficult for you to chew and speak, because your muscles are super tense.
Why does this bruxism happen to you?
different factors that can cause bruxism and, many times, several of them come together. Among others, we can cite a problem of bad bite or dental malocclusion; Suffer from Stress, anxiety and/or sleep disorders like apnea. Additionally, taking certain medications such as antidepressants or stimulants, as well as taking alcohol and caffeine in excess or before sleeping, can cause bruxism.
It must also be added that this is a problem that can be inherited, so, if you have signs and, in addition, someone in your family has already suffered from it, you could be the next. Be sure to go to the doctor to confirm it and give you treatment.
How can bruxism be diagnosed?
For diagnose bruxism The doctor will examine you and may order tests such as a dental x-ray and even order a sleep study to check if you clench your jaw during sleep.
What treatments are there for bruxism?
After knowing all this about bruxism, what we are interested in knowing is how we can solve it if we suffer from it. There are treatments that are very effective and will remedy the problem, although, to find the appropriate treatment, you must first know what the cause is.
When you suffer from bruxism, your teeth suffer from wear, so you may need to use a discharge ferrule that is placed on your dentures to protect your teeth.
If bruxism is due to psychological causes, it will be good to receive a tcognitive-behavioral erapy to discover why it happens to you and be able to put an end to that harmful behavior.
It will also be good for you practice relaxation techniques, since stress and anxiety are usually behind bruxism in most cases.
In more extreme cases, your doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants or anxiolytics to relax that tension that you manifest in the chin and jaw area.
El bruxism There is a solution but you don't have to take it as a joke, because it can harm your teeth and jaw, in addition to causing neck, head and shoulder pain. If you think something like this may be affecting you, go to the doctor, because you don't need to suffer from it. There are very effective remedies to treat it!