The phrase “grinding your teeth” might make you cringe a bit—it’s an unpleasant sensation! But you might do it pretty often at a time when you don’t even realize it’s happening. Our Raleigh Orthodontics team wants to tell you all about tooth grinding in your sleep, and go over some treatments to help improve this habit.
What is Bruxism?
Bruxism is the medical term for the habitual and involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth, typically during sleep. If it happens when you’re awake, it’s called awake bruxism. But it tends to be more of an issue while you’re unconscious since you aren’t able to mediate it. It has a few main factors:
- Grinding your teeth is when you clench them and then grind them back and forth.
- Clenching can be a separate issue without the grinding. But it can still cause painful symptoms.
- At night, sleeping partners can often hear audible sounds of teeth grinding.
Causes and Symptoms of Bruxism
There are a few culprits behind bruxism, but it’s usually attributed to stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and other lifestyle factors. You might encounter any of these symptoms with this condition:
- Tooth pain or sensitivity
- Jaw pain or joint disorders
- Acute or chronic headaches,
- Facial muscle discomfort
- Damage to tooth enamel or restorations like fillings or crowns
- Chipped or flattened teeth
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Gum recession or gum disease
- Earaches
Any of these can impact your well-being individually, but when combined, it can be a troublesome obstruction to your health.
Diagnosis of Bruxism
Dr. Grossman and other dental professionals have a few methods to identify potential bruxism. We can use these to get a clear diagnosis and determine the best treatment plan for you:
- X-rays provide us with a closer look at your teeth and jawbone, revealing internal damage or misalignment.
- Bite analysis can show us how the upper and lower teeth fit together and see if an abnormal bite is playing a role in your condition—which it often does!
- Sleep monitoring can be helpful, especially in severe cases, using equipment that tracks muscle activity, jaw movements, and sounds made during a sleep cycle. Some patients also participate in a professional sleep study. Bed partners can help us in this process by reporting any sounds they hear.
- Medical history tells us a lot. For example, if you take certain medications or have a condition like clinical anxiety, it could contribute to a teeth-grinding issue.
Treating Bruxism
This condition can be challenging to treat at times, but there are a number of effective approaches we might employ to help resolve your symptoms. Some of these can be completed by our team, while others might include referrals to experts in different fields.
- Night guards or Splints: This is one of the most common treatments. We’ll create custom night guards or splints (also called occlusal appliances) to protect your teeth. They’re barriers between your upper and lower teeth, which can help to prevent physical damage to your teeth.
- Stress Management: Learning stress management techniques can help your habits, including practices like yoga, mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing behavioral patterns. By addressing psychological concerns with a professional, your bruxism can also be helped. Remember, the root of the issue can be a mental one as easily as a physical one.
- Avoid Stimulants: Substances like alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco in bedtime hours can promote teeth grinding. If you have to take a prescribed stimulant, try to curb your consumption of these other substances, as it can make bad symptoms worse.
- Sleep Health: You should try to maintain a regular sleep schedule and a calming bedtime return. Try not to be exposed to screens before sleeping.
- Muscle Relaxants: A professional might prescribe these to you for a short period to reduce muscle tension related to grinding.
- Dietary Changes: Sometimes, patients find some relief from avoiding hard and crunchy foods and adopting a soft diet.
- Support Groups: Sharing your experiences with others who experience bruxism can be helpful. Support groups or online forums can provide a sense of community and strategies for managing the condition.
Put Your Bruxism to Bed
Dr. Grossman is an excellent resource for patients dealing with nocturnal teeth grinding. As we said, it’s an issue a whole lot of people have to deal with, sometimes without even knowing it! Getting it diagnosed and treated is always a priority. Raleigh Orthodontics has four North Carolina offices and an all-star team of experts who are eager to help you knock out this annoying habit. You can schedule a free consultation with any of our locations at 919-585-5556.