Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Most people may clench or grind their teeth sometimes. But teeth grinding may occur unconsciously and excessively at occasional times or on regular basis. This condition is called bruxism. It can damage teeth and cause a number of oral and dental health complications. In this article, we will discuss the signs and symptoms, the possible causes, and how bruxism can be reduced or treated.

In the long term, medications usually are not effective for the treatment of bruxism. There is more research still needed whether they are helpful.

In severe cases, if bruxism has already led to the cracking, flattening of the teeth, chipping, or other dental injuries, your dentist will need to reshape and restore the damaged tooth or teeth.

Therefore, your dentist may recommend crowns, dental implants, composite bonding, or veneers depending on the damage. These are dental treatments to bring back the normal function and chewing to the tooth as well as prevent tooth pain or sensitivity.

However, medications are effective in some ways. Some of them work by regulating neurotransmitters to help reduce muscle activity that are causing the teeth grinding. Others such as Botox injections have successfully been used for decreasing the jaw and facial muscle movements in more severe sleep bruxism cases.

Common medications for bruxism include:

• Stress and anxiety medications. For short-term use, your doctor may prescribe some medications like anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants to help you deal with stress and other mental or emotional problems.

• Botox injections. Injection of botulinum toxin, or Botax, can paralyze and limit muscle activity that are involved in your teeth grinding and help stop sleep bruxism. Like most cosmetic procedures, Botox can be expensive and require regular injections in the long run.

• Muscle relaxants. Your doctor or TMJ specialist can prescribe muscle relaxants to take for short-term period. They are a common medication for TMJ disorders. Muscle relaxants have a temporary effect on jaw muscle activity which can decrease muscle spasm and effectively relieve the pain in the jaw area.

• Natural medications. If you don’t like to take medications to treat your bruxism, make sure to incorporate the recommended various sources of minerals and vitamins into your daily diet. One of these natural minerals is magnesium, which helps to take comfort and get optimal bodily function. You can find it in leafy greens and a whole foods diet.

• Treatment for underlying conditions. Once determined that your underlying condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD or sleep apnea, is responsible for your teeth grinding, your doctor will take the necessary steps to treat it.