Bruxism: how to prevent and reduce it?

Have you ever grinded your teeth, whether you were awake or asleep? You may be suffering from bruxism, teeth grinding or jaw clenching. This bad habit can have a serious impact on your dental health. Fortunately, while there is no definitive cure, there are effective methods to prevent and reduce bruxism. Let’s explore them together!

Bruxism is an involuntary habit of grinding your teeth, especially while you sleep.

Causes of Bruxism

Among the causes of bruxism are stress and anxiety. Additionally, the most recent studies show that it is a direct response to sleep breathing issues, such as sleep apnea.

From a dental point of view, bruxism is characterized by:

• Premature wear of the chewing surface of the teeth;
• Wearing of the teeth near the gums, known as « abfraction »;
• Tooth sensitivity.

Some signs also appear at the muscular level:

• The patient may, over time, wake up in the morning feeling tension in the facial muscles as well as the trapezius (back muscles) or even in the lower back.
• The patient may suffer from headaches early in the morning or late at night.

In times of professional or personal great fatigue or stress, these symptoms may aggravate.

In the long run, untreated bruxism may affect the temporomandibular joints, causing wear, discomfort and subluxations of the jaw. It can also cause gingival recession, which is a receding gum line.

When neuromuscular symptoms become more severe, the ears may even become congested, resulting in dizziness, neck and shoulder pain, and a reduced ability to open the mouth.

Thus, bruxism should not be taken lightly.

Bruxism Treatments

There is no definitive treatment for bruxism. Nevertheless, there are numerous methods to prevent and reduce it. At the Chantepoulet Dental Clinic, our practitioners have been trained to treat all patients, from adults to children, appropriately.

For adults

When dental wear is advanced or severe, there are numerous techniques to retrieve chewing function as well as dental balance conducive to a better oral health.

For example, your dentist may suggest a Michigan type mouthguard for day or night use. This is essentially a resin plate that prevents the upper teeth from touching lower teeth.

This plate is custom made from your dental prints. This plate it occlusal and comfortable and well-adjusted to your mouth. Its role is to:

• Absorb the forces of bruxism and teeth grinding.
• Release jaw muscles to ease the tension.
• Release the joints of the jaw and reduce the pain.
• Limit the progression of bone wear in the teeth and joints.

Every year, you should visit your dentist to check the state of your mouthguard.

Patients who do not wish to wear a mouthguard can receive injections into the masseter muscles. This simple and pain-free procedure takes less than a minute and involves two injections into the cheeks. Depending on your condition, the dentist may also suggest combining the injections with a mouthguard. Every year, you should visit your dentist to check the condition of your mouthguard.