Teeth Grinding - Physical Or Mental Illness?

What Is Bruxism: a Disease, or Simply a Habit That Can't Be Controlled?

Bruxism, which is the medical term for "teeth clenching" or "teeth grinding," may be considered both an uncontrollable behaviour and a medical disease. What is it, though? It occurs when you either consciously or unconsciously clench or grind your teeth either during the day or while you sleep. If you suffer from this condition, you're only rarely aware of your condition, especially because you often grind your teeth at night, when you sleep. It may even be that roommates or sleeping partners are affected more by this condition than others. That's because if someone clenches his or her teeth during the night, it can disrupt not just the sleep of the person suffering the condition, but the person next to him or her as well. There are also different levels of severity to this condition.

A problem both in a medical and dental sense

Usually, bruxism is classified as both a dental and medical disease, both. Some doctors believe that bruxism is caused by stress that's been delayed, for all intents and purposes. That is, stress suffered during the day can come out at night. It may also be caused by psychological concerns like an aggressive personality, anger or frustration.

Bruxism can also have as its cause the physical structure of the jaw and teeth. Perhaps the jaws and teeth have developed or aligned abnormally. It can also be caused by other diseases, or may be a side effect of taking certain medications or drugs.

Getting treatment for bruxism

It's important to get bruxism treated; to do so, you should consult both a doctor and dentist if this is something you suffer from. Normally, you'll go to your dentist first. The dentist will check and see how much wear and damage has been done by the teeth grinding or teeth clenching; he or she will also check and see if the bruxism is caused by a physiological abnormality in the jaws or teeth.

If the bruxism is caused by a physical abnormality of the jaws and teeth, usually, the dentist can treat the problem right there in his or her office. If it is found to be a psychological problem, however, the patient is usually referred to a psychologist or other medical professional, who can then address the problem.

Curing bruxism

If the bruxism is caused by structural defects of the teeth and jaws, usually, surgery is required. In some cases, wearing a teeth guard at night may be enough to break the habit of teeth grinding or teeth clenching, or to at least protect teeth if this behaviour continues to go on.

If it's not treated as soon as possible, bruxism may cause significant tooth or jaw damage. And that could not only mean significant pain and suffering, but also literally thousands of dollars in dental restoration work. If bruxism occurs in a child, though, extensive treatment is usually not necessary because most children outgrow this condition.

If bruxism is caused by psychological problems such as stress, it's best addressed through counselling or a holistic approach, so that the root of the problem can be addressed; once this happens, the bruxism usually goes away on its own.

If underlying disease or other medical concerns cause the bruxism, or if it has developed as a side effect of medications, an experienced medical practitioner will need to find the cause and then implement a cure. Usually, he or she can prescribe a different course of medication that does not have these side effects. There are also medications that can relax the jaw and facial muscles to make the bruxism less severe; this can also be used with other methods, like wearing a teeth guard.

In conclusion

Bruxism is a health concern that needs to be addressed right away, no matter its ultimate cause. You should not try to simply "live with it" or ignore it if it's something you suffer from. As soon as you know you have bruxism, or someone you care about does, you should address it immediately. This will not only save your tooth health, but will also help alleviate secondary conditions like headaches caused by the bruxism.