Bruxism: Symptoms and Treatments for Teeth Grinding

Bruxism: Symptoms and Treatments for Teeth Grinding

Bruxism

Bruxism is defined as clenching or grinding the teeth and putting excessive pressure on one's jaw. If jaw clenching and teeth grinding become habitual, a very painful condition called Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome--TMJ--can result. Unfortunately, individuals suffering from Bruxism seldom realize what they are doing until symptoms arise. These include earache, clicking in the jaw, headaches and dental problems such as stress fractures in or more teeth. Some patients with severe Bruxism experience stress fractures in virtually every tooth, especially molars. Eventually the condition can also lead to a misalignment of the jaw.

Many times, those who clench or grind their teeth, do so while sleeping, and this aspect of bruxism presents a particular challenge since it is an unconscious activity. The specific cause for the disorder is unknown, however, most experts agree that stress plays a vital role in its development.

Bruxism Treatments

If someone has recently begun to experience bruxism, there may be time to treat it with simple remedies, before a destructive, long-term pattern has been established. One of the best things a person can do is to consciously relax the jaw muscle. This can be done by simply parting the lips enough so that the teeth do not touch. Another tip some dentists recommend is to situation the very ruin of the tongue forward between the upper and lower teeth. The pinching of the tongue will alert the person as soon as his or her jaw begins to terminate.

A moist heating pack can benefit to carve wound, as well as relax the jaw muscle. Compresses should be kept in site for 15 minutes, and when removed, one should slowly commence and halt his or her jaw 15-20 times in order to withhold the muscle flacid.

Some doctors prescribe a muscle relaxer which will support to have slackness in the jaw muscle. This is especially first-rate when taken at night, since the other remedies cannot be utilized while one is sleeping. In addition to the aforementioned medication, a person's doctor may recommend that a mouth-guard be stale while sleeping.

When a person has suffered from bruxism for a long time, the muscles in the jaw will increase in size. Unfortunately, this can lead to a widening of the jaw, which will alter the shape of the face, giving it a square, unattractive appearance. Cosmetic clinics such as The Victorian Cosmetic Institute offer effective treatments to apt this undesirable side carry out of Bruxism. These jaw slimming procedures are aimed at restoring the person's face to its current shape and appearance, before the pain from bruxism occurred. The change can be dramatic, and anyone suffering from this condition should mediate having such a contrivance in order to study and feel better, as well as restore his or her self-esteem.