Learning how to stop teeth grinding can be a difficult process for those who have this disorder. For many people, they don't even know they do it until they visit the dentist and find damaged teeth. Here's an overview of bruxism and how anxiety and teeth grinding may be having an effect on your life.
Bruxism is simply an abnormal chewing action that is caused by your brain becoming inactive while you are sleeping and allowing the reflex chewing activity to remain active.
Approximately 30 to 40 million people in the U.S. grind their teeth at night. About half don't even realize it. Bruxism is also one of the biggest factors in losing teeth, as well as the single biggest factor for occlusal disease.
Over the course of time, teeth grinding can create major problems. It wears down the teeth to s stump. It can also lead to jaw problems such as TMJ.
While experts can't pinpoint an exact cause of bruxism, anxiety and teeth grinding seem to go hand in hand. Stress creates muscle tension and in turn, clenching of the teeth.
Some of the more common remedies for teeth grinding include a mouth guard or bite strip. Your dentist would fit your mouth for the device which you would wear on the inside of your mouth during sleep. These bruxism treatment devices have shown to work well in some patients.
Other remedies for teeth grinding include changes in your diet, such as cutting down on caffeine, getting regular exercise which can reduce anxiety and teeth grinding, as well as certain jaw exercises and tips.
Bruxism is a serious condition if left without treatment. The good news is that there are remedies for teeth grinding available to everyone.
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