We’ve always heard that you should take ibuprofen or paracetamol for headaches or Nolotil to instantly relieve toothache. These remedies can provide temporary relief, but when the pain is recurring, it’s important to find the root cause of the problem.
If this pain is combined with a general feeling of fatigue or your jaw cracks when you chew, you may be suffering from bruxism.
At Clínica Arpón, we provide detailed information about bruxism and how to treat it. Additionally, we have a team of highly qualified professionals who offer a wide range of personalized dental services.
What is bruxism?
Bruxism is a condition caused by the involuntary habit of grinding or clenching the teeth. It is common for bruxism to first appear in children aged 3 to 6, but it actually affects people of all ages (between 20% and 30% of the global population).
It is more common for bruxism to occur at night, during sleep, as the person is unaware and cannot control it. The real problem is that many people don’t know they have it, and its consequences can significantly affect their health.
How to know if I have bruxism?
One of the main symptoms of bruxism is tooth wear. Grinding the teeth can lead to enamel loss, dental hypersensitivity, fractures in the teeth, and oral infections such as gingivitis.
Bruxism also affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the jaw to the skull. This is why bruxism causes headaches, ear and jaw pain, as well as clicking and popping sounds that can interfere with the simple function of fully opening or closing the mouth, making everyday activities like eating or speaking difficult.
Además de ello puede derivar en vértigos, mareos y tensión en los músculos faciales, en el cuello y las cervicales.
Causes of bruxism
The treatment of bruxism begins with understanding the causes that motivate it, which can be made up of physical, emotional and genetic factors. Some of the most common causes are the following:
- Stress is perhaps the main cause. Likewise, some pathologies related to mental health such as depression or anxiety can lead to episodes of greater stress and tension, which can manifest physically through the habit of grinding your teeth.
- As we mentioned before, bruxism is a condition that is expressed especially at night. This may be related to sleep-related problems, such as sleep apnea.
Disruptions in sleep can lead to teeth grinding in response to lack of rest.
- Some habits as simple as chewing gum or biting the caps of pens can cause additional stress on the muscles that make up the jaw, causing episodes of bruxism.
Other habits such as drinking alcohol and/or stimulating drinks or smoking tobacco can affect the nervous system, increasing muscle activity during sleep. Changing these habits can help alleviate the consequences of bruxism.
- Poor dental alignment also causes bruxism. The incorrect fit of some teeth can cause excessive pressure in certain points of the mouth when biting, which causes the person to clench their teeth in search of a more comfortable position.
How to cure bruxism
The reality is that bruxism can be cured, but it is important to carry out an early diagnosis, since its symptoms worsen over time until they are irreversible in some cases.
To carry out truly effective treatment of the condition, you must consult a dentist who uses relief splints for bruxism.
The splint is a custom-made device that is placed over the patient’s teeth at night to prevent direct contact between them, significantly reducing the muscle overload in the jaw. In some cases, if there are structural issues with the bite, the dentist may recommend some form of prior orthodontic treatment, such as braces or invisible aligners, to improve dental alignment. Once these issues are corrected, the dentist will recommend the use of the splint.
Specialized physiotherapy for this condition often yields good results when combined with the use of splints. It uses manual techniques such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) mobilization, proprioceptive exercises aimed at normalizing the everyday muscular activity of the jaw (to prevent involuntary activity), and postural re-education to reduce muscle tension and prevent future episodes of bruxism.
In extreme cases, surgery may be resorted to, if more conservative methods have not been effective. This involves procedures such as Botox implant to correct jaw problems or dental surgery to correct dental misalignment.
Conclusions about bruxism
The treatment of bruxism begins with understanding the causes behind it, which can be influenced by physical, emotional, and genetic factors. Some of the most common causes include:
If you suffer from its symptoms, do not hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation and start living again, at Clínica Arpón we will be happy to help you!
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