What you need to know about teeth grushing while sleeping

Teeth grinding while sleeping is a common bad habit in both children and adults. This condition not only harms the patient's health and teeth but also affects the sleep of those around them. To improve teeth grinding, patients need to find remedies to ensure a better night's sleep and a healthier body. To understand better, let's find out with The East Rose Dental Clinic right below.

What is teeth grinding while sleeping?

Bruxism is defined as “repetitive activity of the jaw muscles, characterized by clenching or grinding of the teeth and/or by pulling and pushing of the lower jaw.” This operation may or may not make a grinding sound. Many people grind their teeth while sleeping without even being aware of this, and this condition can even occur frequently and for a long time. Teeth grinding not only annoys those around you, it also harms the jaw and leads to many other health problems.

Causes of teeth grinding while sleeping

Stress and tension
Pressure and stress in daily life are the main factors that cause teeth grinding during sleep. When faced with nervous tension, the jaw muscles can react automatically by grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw.

Sleep disorders
Some sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or Restless Leg Syndrome can lead to teeth grinding during sleep.

• Insomnia: Lack of sleep or light sleep can increase the risk of teeth grinding.
• Sleep apnea: When the body tries to breathe while in a state of apnea, some people may react by grinding their teeth.
• Restless legs syndrome: Causes discomfort in the legs when lying down, leading to teeth grinding while sleeping.

Teeth and jaw problems
Problems with jaw and tooth structure, such as misaligned teeth or missing teeth, can contribute to teeth grinding during sleep. Teeth misalignment during chewing can lead to this condition.

Using stimulants
Consuming too much caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol can lead to teeth grinding while sleeping. These stimulants can affect the nervous system and cause uncontrolled jaw muscle activity.

Side effects of medications
Some medications, such as antidepressants, stress relievers, and erectile dysfunction drugs, can cause teeth grinding during sleep due to the effects of their chemical components on the nervous system and jaw muscles.

Dangerous complications of teeth grinding

When teeth grinding is frequent and severe, it can lead to a series of dangerous complications such as:

• Tooth abrasion and damage: Continuous tooth grinding can wear down tooth enamel and cause serious damage to teeth, even leading to tooth fracture.
• Tension headaches: Constant pressure and tension from teeth grinding can cause persistent headaches.
• Severe facial or jaw pain: Excessive tension in the jaw muscles can lead to radiating pain throughout the face or jaw.
• Temporomandibular disorder (TMD): This condition can cause clicking sounds when opening or closing the mouth, causing difficulty chewing and speaking.
• Masseter muscle hypertrophy: Stress and overactivity of the masseter muscle can lead to muscle hypertrophy, causing facial deformity and asymmetry.

Methods of treating teeth grinding

Dental method
Dental methods help protect and repair tooth damage caused by teeth grinding, although they do not directly treat the condition:

• Chewing tray: Made from transparent hard acrylic plastic or soft material, designed to fit closely to teeth to prevent tooth destruction and reduce muscle and temporomandibular joint pain. Periodic examination by a specialist is required.
• Orthodontics: The dentist can realign the chewing surface or use a crown in cases of severe tooth wear, helping restore chewing function.

Use medicine
Several medications can be used to reduce teeth grinding:

• Muscle relaxants: Use before going to bed for a short time.
• Botox injection: For severe teeth grinding that does not respond to other methods.
• Anti-anxiety or stress medications: Helps deal with short-term emotional problems.

Treatment of related disorders

• Change medication: If teeth grinding is due to side effects of medication.
• Sleep disorders: Treating disorders such as sleep apnea can improve teeth grinding.
• Medical conditions: Treating diseases such as GERD, epilepsy, and ADHD can help reduce teeth grinding.
• Some other methods
• Psychotherapy: Helps manage stress and reduce teeth grinding.
• Behavior change: Practice adjusting your mouth and jaw to the appropriate position.

Above is useful information to help you better understand teeth grinding while sleeping. If you have more unusual symptoms, you should see a dentist immediately for a check-up.