Why do they grind their teeth at night? This disorder is called bruxism. Bruxism as an ailment is typical for children and adults. There are many reasons for the development of pathology, almost all of them lie in the subconscious. Bruxism is treated by neurologists, psychologists and dentists. It is possible to achieve success in solving a problem only if the patient is aware of its presence and the need for treatment.

Teeth grinding is not only unpleasant. but also hazardous to health.

Characteristics of bruxism

What is bruxism? There are several definitions of the term. Bruxism (also called odontism or Carolini's syndrome) is unconscious grinding of the teeth that manifests itself in short bouts during the day or night. Most often observed during sleep. A sleeping person is not able to control himself.

It used to be that people would grind their teeth in their sleep due to infection of the body with worms. This version has not found scientific confirmation.

Bruxism in adults appears due to disorders in the central nervous system, as well as due to dental pathologies.

Clinical picture of bruxism

Gritting of teeth at night, clenching of jaws, champing appears suddenly and lasts for several seconds or minutes. There may be several such short attacks per night. If there are not very many attacks and the grinding or clenching of teeth is weak, then a person may not be aware of the presence of a disorder for a long time. A woman is often told that she grinds her teeth at night by her husband.

Strong and frequent grinding of teeth at night affects all components of the maxillo-cranial complex.

Tiredness in the morning is one of the signs of a night rattle

The patient has symptoms:

• headaches and migraines in the morning;
• pain in the jaw;
• pain in the muscles of the face;
• pain in the shoulders, neck and back;
• tinnitus;
• vestibular dizziness;
• constant fatigue, feeling of weakness;
• depression;
• sleep disorders;
• eating disorders.

Teeth with bruxism have an erased appearance

Bruxism is often detected on examination by a dentist, by the characteristic erasure of tooth enamel. But how to get rid of the creaking of teeth, the dentist alone will not tell you. To do this, you need to consult a neuropathologist and a psychotherapist.

Consequences of bruxism

Nocturnal bouts of bruxism do not pass without a trace for a person. The main consequences of teeth grinding:

• Erasure of tooth enamel, which leads to an increase in the sensitivity of the teeth, the appearance of a carious lesion.
• Mobility of teeth (looseness).
• Recession of the gums (the roots of the teeth are exposed).
• Clicking when swallowing.
• Sleep apnea (cessation of ventilation for more than 10 seconds). Apnea leads to memory disorders, chronic fatigue, depression and daytime sleepiness.
• Chronic bruxism leads to nervous imbalance, reduces the body's resistance to stress.

Causes of bruxism in adults

There are several reasons why a person can grind their teeth. Daytime bruxism and nocturnal grinding of teeth appear:

• As a symptom of epilepsy, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.
• As a manifestation of a special kind of insomnia with frequent awakenings and sensitive shallow sleep.
• Because of the bad habit of chewing on pencils and pens. With the constant repetition of the same action, a conditioned reflex is formed.
• Due to overexcitation of the body in a stressful situation.
• After taking psychotropic drugs, amphetamines, alcohol, nicotine, large amounts of coffee. These substances strongly excite the nervous system, which provokes grinding or strong clenching of teeth.
• Due to dental problems. These include malocclusion, dental growths, the absence of some teeth, etc.

Frequent stress causes bouts of grinding

Night bruxism develops much more often than daytime, because during the day a person can suppress the gnashing and control himself with an effort of will. Teeth grinding after suffering stress indicates the inability of the nervous system to cope with stress. Not everyone who suffers from this disease is wondering how to stop grinding their teeth, some simply ignore the problem. But doctors advise not to miss the opportunity to get rid of bruxism and tell how to cure such an unpleasant ailment.

Psychosomatics of bruxism

Psychosomatics is a young science, it deals with the study of mental problems that caused bodily diseases.

The famous ancient Greek philosopher and physician Hippocrates said: “Teeth wear indicates the confusion of the soul.”

In the encephalograms of people suffering from bruxism, disturbances in the limbic system are often found. It is this part of the brain that is responsible for the formation of behavior and emotional reactions, the regulation of sleep mechanisms. Psychotherapists claim that bruxism can be the result of an accumulation of negative emotions inside.

From the point of view of psychosomatics, there are several groups of people who may suffer from bruxism.

• Samoyeds. People with a constant sense of guilt, doubting their every act and word.
• People with a lack of attention.
• Pathological envious people.
• Pathological workaholics. They cannot be distracted, their thoughts are always absorbed in work.
• People who experience constant, far-fetched fear. Especially if they suffer from nightmares.

At night, when a person goes to bed, consciousness recedes into the background, the subconscious comes into play. All previously experienced, muffled and unexpressed negative emotions pour out. This is manifested by gnashing of teeth in a dream, insomnia, or vice versa, an unconscious deep sleep.

Diagnosis of bruxism

To determine why a person grinds his teeth, complex diagnostics will help.

An examination by a dentist will help determine the degree of development of the disorder and its depth.

Electromyography - a method for diagnosing the causes of grinding

The picture of spastic contraction of masticatory muscles is recorded using polysomnography. This is a study of human sleep using computer technology.

bruxism treatment

There are several ways to stop grinding your teeth. They are aimed at reducing the harmful effects of grinding on the teeth, and eliminating the cause of bruxism.

Soothing tea before bed reduces the chance of grinding

The harmful effect of rattle is removed in several ways:

• Mouth guards for bruxism. These are special protective devices that prevent teeth from rubbing against each other and reduce the pain of symptoms. Kappa is worn at bedtime.
• Relaxation pills and Botox injections. Botox treatment paralyzes the facial muscles and prevents jaw spasms.
• Compresses, cold and hot, massage. They relieve spasm of the jaw muscles and muscles of the face. Use of strengthening toothpastes.
• A diet rich in calcium, magnesium and B vitamins. All these substances improve the functioning of the nervous system.
• Eliminate the cause of bruxism
• Installing braces if the cause is an overbite.
• Psychotherapy aimed at identifying psychosomatic factors in the development of bruxism. At the psychologist's appointments, all conflict and stressful situations are sorted out, individual ways of dealing with negative emotions and far-fetched fear are developed.
• Developing relaxation skills. One of the methods of self-treatment. A person must become aware of his problem, identify the situations that provoked it, and choose the appropriate way to distract and relax. Listening to music, reading books, meditation, yoga, cleaning the apartment, embroidery, anything that can completely occupy attention can help here.
• Medical treatment. Taking sedatives, in severe disorders, tranquilizers may be prescribed.

Meditation helps you relax

The more the patient makes an effort, the faster the cure will come. Attacks will be more rare and weak and will gradually disappear completely.

Kappa as a remedy for bruxism. Peculiarities

Kappa is a specialized dental design. Mouth guards for bruxism are transparent linings on the teeth. They are single-jawed and double-jawed, nocturnal and daytime. Daytime prescribed for complex forms of pathology, when a person is not able to stop the grinding of teeth.

Modern designs have a number of advantages:

• they are made of hypoallergenic biopolymers;
• do not cause discomfort when worn;
• withstand heavy loads.

Mouthguard on teeth makes grinding impossible

Wearing a mouthguard is one of the most effective ways to treat bruxism. It prevents the jaws from closing tightly and prevents spasm. Kappa functions:

• Protects tooth enamel from damage and destruction.
• Protects teeth from decay.
• Prevents damage to fillings and other dental structures.
• Reduce muscle spasm and pain.
• Doesn't let the bite change.
• The friction of the teeth decreases, and therefore unpleasant symptoms disappear in the morning.
• Gradually, sleep is restored, and the state of the body stabilizes.

Kappa is selected and made individually for each person. At the appointment with the dentist, casts are taken from the jaws. The model is then cast in plaster. The final structure is made from biosilicon or bioplastic. The inside of the kappa is soft, so they do it so that it does not injure the gums.

Prevention of bruxism

Almost everyone faces the problem of teeth grinding at night at least once. Bruxism in adults manifests itself everywhere, starting from the age of 30, or even earlier. To get rid of a severe form of the disorder, you need to spend a lot of time and money. It is much easier to learn how to control yourself and follow preventive measures to avoid the appearance of bruxism.

A healthy lifestyle will help get rid of gnashing

• Regular trips to the dentist. They will help identify signs of bruxism and start treatment on time. You also need to constantly monitor the condition of dental crowns, if their design is broken, this can provoke bruxism.
• Rationing of loads, physical and mental.
• Avoiding conflicts and severe stress and nervous strain.
• Compliance with the daily routine. You need to go to bed no later than 11 o’clock, you can’t eat heavy food before going to bed, it’s better to watch a light movie, read a relaxing book, take a warm bath with salt and aromatic oils.
• Sports. They do not have to be exhausting, light warm-ups, cardio workouts are enough to keep muscles and blood circulation in good shape.
• Proper nutrition. Simple carbohydrates, which are found in pastries, sweets, etc., should be excluded from the diet. You need to eat more dairy, fish and meat.

If you follow all these rules, you can forever forget why they grind their teeth and why people do not sleep at night.

If you find yourself teeth grinding at night, you should immediately contact a neurologist and dentist. They will find out the cause and select a method for treating bruxism. Treatment of bruxism will be effective only with the participation of the patient himself in the process.