Bruxism? Here’s How To Treat It!
Do you know what bruxism is? Many people get up in the morning with pain in the jaw. In the beginning it is not given importance, but then dizziness, ringing in the ears and an unusual headache begin.
Symptoms associated with bruxism and, in fact, it is one of the most common ailments that we are not aware of, as no one can realize, while sleeping, that they are gritting their teeth with great intensity.
The most common thing is for our dentist to provide us with a mouthguard to sleep with, which will prevent these strange mouth movements.
To prevent and treat bruxism, we also need to know its causes. We are confident that this information will interest you.
Bruxism: symptoms and causes
They usually clench or grind their teeth at night without realizing it. A movement like this, carried out for hours and for several weeks or even months, ends up having some consequences.
Just imagine it: Clenching your teeth for several hours each night involves putting considerable pressure on the muscles of the mouth and other structures of the jaw itself.
It is also common that this involuntary act can be heard even by those who sleep with us.
Most common symptoms
- Pain in the jaw.
- Headache as soon as you wake up.
- Dizziness or pain in the neck area.
- It is also common to experience pain in the eyes and very annoying whistling (tinnitus).
- Suffering from bruxism for many years without resorting to any treatment, teeth can wear out.
- When you open your mouth, you can hear a kind of “click”.
- Sensitivity when chewing very hot or very cold food.
- There are people who even lose their appetite, feel fatigued and experience intense pain in the jaw, which prevents proper chewing of food.
What is bruxism due to?
Doctors say that the origin often depends on stress. However, some sleep specialists also relate this to sleep habits.
- Insomnia, for example, can sometimes increase our nervousness, which leads to a lot of pressure on our jaw. This is a very common experience.
- Leading a very active pace of life, with many pressures and tasks to do makes our rest “inadequate” and leads us to suffer from bruxism.
- Relationship problems and emotional pain can also lead to this nocturnal grinding.
We cannot ignore such an important thing: if stress occurs for a long time, our nervous system becomes overexcited. All this results not only in bruxism, but also in tachycardia, digestive problems, back pain, etc.
What consequences can bruxism cause if it is not treated?
- Tooth problems and wear of the same.
- Chronic headache.
- Incorrect occlusion of the mandible.
- Digestive problems, due to the difficulty in chewing food.
- Wear of the tempero-mandibular joint (TMJ).
- Nervous system problems that can cause dizziness, disorientation, etc.
How to treat bruxism
The mouthguards
One of the most common strategies for treating bruxism is the use of mouthguards. Our dentist will advise us to protect your teeth from the pressure of grinding.
Thanks to the mouthguards, we will avoid grinding our teeth, or at least we will do it less. Although they are effective in most cases, for some people they do not solve the problem, so it is necessary to take into account the different needs of each patient.
Physiotherapy exercises to treat bruxism
In addition to the treatment prescribed by doctors and dentists, it is advisable to carry out some simple exercises at home to recover the correct occlusion of the jaw, relax the muscles and reduce pain.
It is a series of movements that we should perform five times a day while sitting in a chair with a high back and armrest.
- Open your mouth 10 times, hold this position for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
- Move the lower jaw to one side, then to the other; very slowly and hold these positions for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
- Direct the chin towards the chest 10 times. A simple cervical flexion will be performed.
Natural remedies
- For dinner, eat an apple or a carrot, chewing slowly. In this way, the overactive jaw is calmed.
- Before going to sleep, prepare a chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey.
- Do some simple yoga exercises before going to bed.
- Increase the amounts of calcium and magnesium. It is necessary to fight tooth wear, without forgetting the importance of magnesium to protect our nervous system.
To conclude, one of the most effective ways to treat bruxism is to manage our stress correctly. Do not hesitate, therefore, to give higher priority to the important things, find moments along the course of the day during which to relax and enjoy your personal space.
If you keep more relaxed lifestyle habits and go to the dentist, you can certainly solve the problem of bruxism.
