REVIVE DENTAL IRVING
TEETH GRINDING / BRUXISM
LEARN ABOUT TEETH GRINDING, BRUXISM
Teeth grinding habits can fracture teeth or wear down the tooth structure. If you have bruxism, we may fit you with a nightguard to prevent damage while you sleep. We can also recommend lifestyle changes to help keep you from grinding teeth and clenching the jaw.
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Bruxism is the habitual teeth grinding or clenching of teeth, and can occur when you are awake or while sleeping. Sleep bruxism tends to be a good indicator of people who also have awake bruxism. SB is considered a sleep-movement disorder, and people who have SB often have other sleep disorders too, such as heavy snoring or sleep apnea. A number of studies have also found a strong link between bruxism and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) – which is an umbrella term for a group of over 30 conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the sliding jaw joint that connects our jaw to our skull.
CAUSES
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Stress and anxiety are the main causes for bruxism in adults, but there are many potential causes for bruxism. Here are the most common causes of bruxism in adults:
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Too much stress and/or anxiety
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Excessive anger, frustration or tension
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Certain medications, in particular SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
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Sleep disorders, like snoring and sleep apnea
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Cigarette smoking
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Caffeine use
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Certain personality types, such as people prone to very competitive, aggressive or hurried tendencies
Bruxism is also surprisingly common in children, with about 20% of children developing bruxism. Most children outgrow bruxism after losing their baby teeth, and bruxism in children often has different causes than for adults, such as:
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Misaligned teeth or bite
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Pain or irritation, such as teething or an earache
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Allergies
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Sleep apnea
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Medical or hereditary reasons, such as cerebral palsy or hyperactivity
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Stress, such as changes in routine, difficulties in school, disruptions or arguing at home, etc.
