Your partner grinds his teeth and it prevents you from sleeping? 😩 Don't feel alone anymore! Like 10 to 15% of French people, your other half suffers from bruxism.
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is a much more common problem than you might think. This unconscious reflex that most often occurs at night can seem out of control and hopeless, however solutions exist! 😉
My Variations tells you more about bruxism and what to do about teeth grinding.
What is bruxism characterized by?
Bruxism can be defined as persistent mandibular parafunction (yes, it's a bit complicated) but is commonly referred to as teeth grinding. 😬 These squeaks can occur day or night, although people affected by bruxism (or their spouses) note that this phenomenon is more frequent in a state of sleep. 🛌
Sleep-related teeth grinding is also the most difficult to control, as it occurs unconsciously, independently of the patient's will, much like an ocd. 🤕
People who experience bruxism firmly clench their lower and upper jaws, strongly contracting the muscles and tissues around them. Most subjects then move them from front to back and vice versa, emitting grinding sounds quite unpleasant for others to hear, due to the friction of the teeth against each other. 🙉
The main trigger for teeth grinding is on the psychological level, this phenomenon can therefore appear in anyone, regardless of age or gender, and it is estimated that between 60 and 70% of French people have or will have periods of bruxism, more or less long during their life. So this is a common problem. ☝️
What are the consequences of teeth grinding?
If the cause of teeth grinding is psychological and therefore different for all patients who suffer from it, the repercussions on their oral health are very real and often similar. 🦷
In fact, if prolonged over time, teeth grinding can cause pain and cracking in the temporomandibular joint (that of the jaw, what 😊), dental fractures, wear and rapid erosion of the teeth anterior which become shorter and shorter. 🥴 The significant contraction of the muscles surrounding the jaws can also cause pain and muscle cramps that are sometimes felt even in the neck or neck of some patients.
Depending on whether the person grinds their teeth in addition to clenching them together, the noises emitted by their bruxism can give rise to chronic migraines and more or less strong headaches. 🤯
Therefore, bruxism is usually easy to diagnose, during a routine dental examination, when a patient comes in complaining of repetitive pain in the face and neck, or when they report abnormal dental erosion (that their teeth crumble and become sharp for example). 🔪
However, in many patients, bruxism does not cause any pain or headaches, so many sufferers don't even know they are grinding their teeth. Most of them then learn it when someone in the near environment notices that they make a squeaky noise while sleeping. 😴
To confirm this, the dentist will carry out a clinical interview, an exploration and a radiographic study. 👩⚕️
What are the possible treatments and solutions for bruxism?
The most common and effective measures to combat bruxism aim to reduce pain, prevent premature tooth wear and permanent damage to the jaw, and reduce the noise caused by teeth grinding ( and improve the sleep of his/her spouse 😛)
Dental guards commonly called gutters, plastic in particular, are usually used to prevent friction related to teeth grinding while the patient sleeps. In the spirit of a shield, this method helps prevent damage related to tooth erosion and problems with the jaw joint. 🛡 However, this device does not completely put an end to bruxism itself.
In fact, teeth grinding and other ailments have been shown to be primarily caused by stress and anxiety . It is therefore advisable to consult a psychologist (in addition to going to see your dentist 🩺) in order to better understand and try to treat the psychosomatic origin of the problem. Thus, we can cite several solutions aimed at correcting the origins of bruxism such as hypnosis, osteopathy, yoga, relaxation, sophrology... 🧘♂️ Until dietary changes (foods that are too hard).
In summary, if you suffer from bruxism, try to avoid hard foods and sweets 🍬, perform relaxation exercises, apply ice or hot compresses to the area where the pain is located 💥, massage the affected area, sleep the recommended hours, and drink plenty of water 💧.
To help you massage the areas that make you suffer, the My Variations sonic electric toothbrush offers a “massage” brushing mode (among the 5 offered by the brush). 🪥 Whose intensity varies by light pulses to gently stimulate and massage the gums and teeth. 🥰
Bruxism can be treated but should not be taken lightly, especially if the patient's breathing is disturbed during the night, which may possibly imply the presence of another more serious concern such as sleep apnea. 🥽 In this case, it is imperative to carry out a check as part of sleep medicine.
In conclusion ...
Bruxism or teeth grinding is a common problem that affects many French people, regardless of their age. It is characterized by a significant clenching of the jaws accompanied by friction of the bottom and top, causing a disturbing squeaking noise for the subject and for others. 😣
Teeth grinding can occur day or night, although it is more common during sleep. Their origin is essentially psychological and related to stress, but the consequences of bruxism on oral health are very physical (early wear of teeth, muscle pain in the jaw, neck cramps, migraines... 🤒).
Solutions to prevent these repercussions exist, such as gutters to wear at night, a reduction in the consumption of sweets and hard foods or even massages of the affected area. However, it is important to consult a psychologist in order to be able to treat the deep origin of bruxism, using practices such as yoga, relaxation, sophrology... 🙏
Now that you know everything about bruxism and its possible treatments, you can hope to rest easy! 🤗
To become unbeatable on other dental hygiene topics, such as toothache for example, discover all the My Variations articles right here: https://myvariations.com/blogs/infos
