27 Sep What is Teeth Grinding and how to stop teeth grinding at night times?

Most people certainly grind or clench their teeth from time to time. Teeth grinding is medically called bruxism which generally does not cause harm or injury to your teeth, but when grinding happens on a regular time interval it can damage the teeth and may develop oral health complications.

Teeth grinding is caused due to anxiety or stress that occurs at sleep time likely caused by abnormal teeth biting. Sleep apnea is also one of the reasons for bruxism.

Some common symptoms of Teeth Grinding

Teeth Grinding happens at sleep time so many people might be unaware that they are grinding their teeth. Below are some of the common symptoms of teeth grinding or bruxism.

• Constant morning headaches
• Facial Pain
• Disrupted sleep
• Broken fillings or teeth
• Worn-down teeth, which can end in high sensitivity and even teeth loss
• Earache
• Flattened, chipped, loose, or fractured teeth
• Tooth sensitivity or pain
• Difficulty in chewing
• Jawpoint pain or stiffness

People who are undergoing sleep disorder or snoring such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are more likely to grind their teeth at sleep. Severe tooth grinding can result in tooth damage and may require medical treatment.

Risk Factors of Teeth Grinding

Certain risk factors can worsen bruxism. Some of them are listed below:

Stress or anxiety: High stress or anxiety can also lead to teeth grinding, and so frustration and anger can increase bruxism.

Genetical bruxism: Medical research states that bruxism can tend to occur through family genetics. For say, if you have teeth-grinding, then there is a high probability that your family members can also have bruxism.

Medications: Teeth grinding can also occur due to the uncommon side effects of some psychiatric medications like antidepressants. Caffeinated beverages, alcohol, tobacco, or recreational usage of drugs may also increase the risk of bruxism.

Best Remedies to get rid of Teeth Grinding or Bruxism

If you are grinding your teeth continuously then here are some best remedies to stop it. The below mentioned remedies may work better than others based on the underlying causes of teeth grinding.

Splints and Mouthguards

Mouthguards are a kind of occlusal splint device that helps protect your teeth from bruxism while sleeping. They function by cushioning your teeth and stop them from grinding with each other.

Mouthguards are custom available at the dental clinic or over the counter. Custom made mouthguards functions well for chronic sleep teeth grinding by protecting your teeth from damage.

Stress reduction

As stress and anxiety can lead to teeth grinding there are certain techniques that can help to reduce your stress such as mediation, yoga, exercise, talk therapy are some of the best stress reduction practices. These techniques can improve your overall health benefits too.

Tongue and jaw muscle exercise

As exercise can reduce teeth grinding, research says that tongue and jaw muscle exercises can help to relax the facial and jaw muscles and maintain a proper jaw alignment.

• Touch your front teeth with your tongue and open your mouth wider. This will help to relax your jaw.
• Shout the letter “N” out loud. This will make your bottom and top teeth from touching and get away from clenching.

Regular grinding can worsen your health condition. If you are looking for a permanent solution for teeth grinding in OMR, then omrdentistry is one of the Best Dental Clinic in OMR to get your treatment.

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