Living with Bruxism

Bruxism is a condition in which the patient grinds his/her teeth, and it affects children, as well as adults. The condition may be mild, or it may be severe to the point that it causes headaches and jaw disorders. If you have bruxism, you may grind your teeth in your sleep not even be aware of it, which sometimes leads to a delayed diagnosis. Doctors and dentists may only be able to identify the problem when the patient starts to complain of headaches and jaw pain, and erosion of the teeth is evident. You must have regular dental care to prevent damage to your teeth. Children most commonly brux (grind) at night, while adults may brux any time day or night.

You might have bruxism if you have any of these symptoms: You grind your teeth in your sleep loud enough for others to hear; your teeth become chipped and the enamel is worn down; your teeth become sensitive to hot and cold and become painful; you experience jaw pain, and your jaw muscles are always tight; you have frequent earaches, and headaches; your face hurts, and you chew the tissue on your inner cheek.

The cause of bruxism is not completely understood. It is thought that people who chew or grind while awake may have a misalignment between the upper and lower teeth called malocclusion. For people with sleep bruxism, it is thought that grinding is caused by changes in their sleep cycles. Sleep studies are being done to study the patient with sleep bruxism. It is thought that anxiety, stress, suppressed anger, and frustration may be a factor with some adults with bruxism. It is believed that bruxism in children may be related to their teeth not fitting together properly when they are erupting from the gums. A very small percentage of bruxism may be due to other disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Grinding the teeth may also be a side effect of certain medications.