What is bruxism and what are the dangers of bruxism?

Teeth grinding is a common symptom in life, which mainly occurs at night. Many people don’t know much about it. So what is teeth grinding? What are the dangers of teeth grinding? How to treat teeth grinding?

1. What is bruxism?

Bruxism is the unconscious grinding or clenching of the upper and lower teeth against each other while a person is asleep or awake. Since teeth grinding often occurs during sleep at night, it is also called "nocturnal bruxism". People are in the period of replacing teeth between the ages of 6 and 13, and they will grind their teeth to adapt to the grinding of the upper and lower teeth. However, if teenagers and adults who have passed the tooth replacement period often grind their teeth, it is a pathological condition.

2. The harm of night bruxism

1. Mild cases are allergic to cold, hot, sour, sweet and other stimulating foods; (nocturnal bruxism causes the teeth to knock together strongly, and there is no food to relieve it, causing excessive wear of the protective material on the surface of the teeth, exposing the dentin under the protective material)

2. In severe cases, it can cause frequent bleeding and inflammation of the gums, loose teeth, and even tooth loss.

3. Long-term bruxism prevents the masticatory muscles from getting rest, causing fatigue and pain in the masticatory muscles;

4. In severe cases, it may cause headaches, neck and back pains;

5. It can also lead to decreased sleep quality, memory loss, bad breath or bad odor in the mouth, and damage hearing and taste.

6. For teenagers, bruxism will not only cause malocclusion, but also affect their physical development and even lead to psychological disorders such as autism.

3. Treatment of Night Teeth Grinding

The treatment of bruxism is mainly to block the cause and reduce the damage.

1. Orthodontic treatment should be performed when teeth are unevenly arranged and the occlusion is disordered.

2. Patients who are overly nervous and stressed should cooperate with psychological treatment.

3. For more serious bruxism, the use of occlusal pads is crucial, as they can relax the muscles and avoid excessive wear of tooth tissue.

4. Bruxism caused by parasites, blood pressure changes, calcium and vitamin deficiencies, etc. requires medical treatment.

5. Treat symptomatically. Those who have pain can use physical therapy and drug blockade to relieve spasms and relieve pain. Relax the masticatory muscles through training and massage.