Suffering From Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)? Swiss Smile Has The Best Solutions!

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, wherein a person clenches, grinds, or gnashes their teeth involuntarily, is more common than expected. Most people grind their teeth when they’re asleep, but grinding while awake is not uncommon either. More often than not, grinding of teeth is a result of stress or anxiousness. However, the pressure put on the teeth due to this activity may result in causing severe damage to the teeth.

Our team of experts at Swiss Smile not only provides the best treatment options to our patients who are suffering from bruxism but also provides consultancy on how to prevent bruxism by leading a healthy lifestyle. So, if you’re among those who can’t stop grinding their teeth, head on to the nearest Swiss Smile clinic for oral care consultancy and treatment!

To help you make an informed decision, we have covered the symptoms, treatment procedures, and the best ways to prevent bruxism below.

Symptoms of Teeth Grinding

As a person usually grinds their teeth while sleeping, they may not be the first person to realize that they are suffering from bruxism. Here are some symptoms of teeth grinding:

• The grinding and clenching is loud enough to wake up your sleeping partner
• Your teeth are flattened, fractured, chipped or loose
• Your teeth enamel is worn, which results in the exposure of deeper layers of the tooth
• You suffer from tooth pain or sensitivity
• Your jaw muscles are tight or tired, or your jaw won’t open or close completely
• You suffer from neck or face pain and soreness
• You suffer from a dull headache or earache
• Your sleep will be disrupted often

If you’re suffering from these symptoms mentioned above, it’s recommended to book an appointment at your nearest Swiss Smile clinic at the earliest.

Effects of Clenching Teeth

Due to the pressure applied to the tooth while clenching, there are significant effects that you will suffer from. Some of which include:

• Cracked tooth enamel
• Increased wear and tear on your teeth
• Teeth restorations like fillings break
• A strain is applied to the jaw joint, also known as the temporomandibular joint. This often results in sore jaw muscles
• Your teeth are more sensitive to hot or cold things

In some rare cases, you might also suffer from teeth loss or enlargement of the jaw muscles.

Major Causes of Teeth Grinding

The causes of teeth grinding can vary from biological, psychological factors. However, in some cases, external factors like smoking, caffeine, alcohol, or drug consumption can lead to teeth clenching and grinding as well.

At Swiss Smile, we believe in solving the problem from the core. Hence, to ensure that we can provide the best course of treatment, we first identify the cause of teeth grinding. In our experience, the causes differ based on the time when a person grinds their teeth:

Awake Bruxism

If a person grinds their teeth when they are awake, it is most likely due to high levels of anxiety, stress, anger, frustration, or tension. Teeth grinding becomes a coping strategy or a habit during deep concentration.

Sleep Bruxism

While most of the factors that cause awake bruxism are applicable to sleep bruxism as well, arousals might be an added cause for a person grinding their teeth in their sleep.

Risk Factors That Result in Bruxism

Owing to the causes, here are some factors that could increase the risk of suffering from bruxism:

1. Stress: Increased anxiety levels, anger, and frustration can lead to teeth clenching.
2. Age: Bruxism is quite common among children. However, it usually goes away as the child grows.
3. Personality Type: A person who is aggressive, competitive, or hyperactive usually is at a high risk of suffering from bruxism.
4. Medications & Other Substances: Bruxism can be a side-effect of some medicines, especially antidepressants. Other substances that could result in bruxism include tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, or recreational drugs.
5. Genetics: Sleep Bruxism is generally known to be passed on from generation to generation
6. Mental or Medical Disorders: Bruxism is highly prevalent among patients who suffer from disorders like Parkinson’s disease, dementia, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, epilepsy, night terrors, and sleep-related disorders.

Lifestyle & Home Remedies To Prevent Bruxism

Bruxism can be prevented by adopting some simple practices and self-care steps like:

Reduce Stress

There are multiple ways to help you relax, like listening to music, taking a warm bath, or even exercising.

Avoid Certain Substances in the Evening

It is not recommended to consume caffeine or alcohol in the evening as they could worsen bruxism

Practice Good Sleeping Habits

Ensure you adopt measures that enable you to get a good night’s sleep, which may help prevent you from developing bruxism.

Talk to you Sleeping Partner

Ask your sleeping partner to look out for any grinding noises while you sleep. If caught earlier, bruxism is easily manageable.

Schedule Regular Dental Exams

At Swiss Smile, we always recommend scheduling regular dental exams, regardless if you’re facing any problems or not. This will help our dentists to identify any dental diseases like bruxism earlier.

Teeth Grinding Treatment

If you think that you’re suffering from bruxism, then Swiss Smile can help! After analyzing the symptoms and understanding the causes, we will offer a treatment option that best suits your condition. Some of the popular teeth grinding treatment options include:

Splints & Mouth Guards

Splints and mouth guards for teeth grinding like the Michigan splint are specially created to ensure the upper and lower teeth are separated from each other. This helps to avoid the damage caused due to clenching and grinding. These dental tools are created from either hard acrylic or soft materials that are designed to fit over your upper and lower teeth.

Dental Correction

In severe cases, where grinding has caused severe damage to the teeth, we might recommend dental correction. In this form of treatment, we will reshape the chewing surfaces of your teeth or use crowns to repair the damage.

But, there are a lot of other options – depending on the cause of bruxism. So, schedule an appointment at your nearest Swiss Smile clinic to ensure you receive the best bruxism treatment and put the suffering to an end!