Bruxism: treatment, possible causes and consequences

The night grinding of teeth, according to statistics, is observed in about 3% of the adult population. As for children, these figures are much higher here: every third child grinds his teeth in a dream . For the vast majority of them, the symptoms of bruxism eventually go away by themselves, even at preschool age. However, in some cases, bruxism, whose treatment in the long term may be quite long, grows into a real problem: it not only hinders others, but also causes trouble for the patient himself.

Most adults refer to this phenomenon negligently, but this is completely wrong: bruxism, whose treatment is planned depending on the results of a physical examination, can signal the onset of a serious illness. Complaints of the majority of patients are typical enough: first of all, these are the pains in the jaw (joints and muscles) arising from stress - after all, seizures can be repeated several times a night. The patients themselves usually do not realize that they creak in their sleep with their teeth, and only learn about it from their loved ones.

In severe form, bruxism in adults, the treatment of which requires, in this case, the consultation of a dentist, leads to a thinning of the tooth enamel and traumatism of the teeth. As a rule, such patients are recommended to wear special protective applicators for the night, made of soft plastic or rubber. In addition, it is necessary to treat the existing dental diseases. It is also possible that correction of the occlusion will be required.

The causes of bruxism are not fully understood. On this occasion, there are several hypotheses: according to one of them, it can provoke long-term stress and increased nervousness. This is explained by the fact that a person who, due to his duty or due to appropriate education, can not throw out his excitement at others, is forced to keep emotions in himself. It is they who are manifested in this way - in the form of bruxism. In this case, in the absence of other visible causes of the disease, a psychologist or psychotherapist can help the patient. Adults who suddenly have a nocturnal grinding of teeth, it is usually recommended to undergo a special polysomnographic examination: in this case, bruxism, whose treatment is often difficult, can be a sign of epilepsy.

For many decades it was believed that bruxism in children can be a sign of helminthic invasions. However, this hypothesis has not been confirmed.

If, after consulting with specialists, the cause of nocturnal grinding of teeth has not been established, parents should consider how to prevent seizures and alleviate their consequences. It is necessary, first of all, to adjust the regime of the day: to lay down to sleep and wake the child at the same time, to find an opportunity for joint quiet walks, to encourage physical education that does not require significant muscle tension. You should also avoid noisy games and watching TV before going to bed. It is necessary to teach the child to relax the jaws and keep them for most of the day open: clenching the teeth during the day without the need can provoke bruxism. Treatment in children of this disease, in the absence of identified pathologies, most often comes down to only taking sedatives. To ease the existing pain in the jaws can be with the help of warm moist compresses.

In many cases, the phenomena of bruxism go by themselves, just as suddenly as they began. However, do not rely on it: bruxism, whose treatment may not be required, however, should not be left without attention. The patient in any case needs a consultation of a neurologist - especially if the night gnashing his teeth accompanied by morning and afternoon headaches, as well as pain in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back.