Bruxism
Bruxism is the involuntary orofacial habit of clenching or grinding the teeth for no functional purpose. There are studies that show that more than 85% of the population has had some episode of bruxism in their life, with a significant presence in children.
Bruxism affects between 10% and 20% of the population and does not always cause symptoms. However, these can be multiple and diverse:
- Headache
- Muscle, jaw, neck, or ear pain
- Pain and popping in the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) when opening the mouth
- Wear. Fracture and / or tooth sensitivity
- Inflammation and weakening of the gums that leads to inflammation and tooth mobility.
- Imprints on the mucosa of the cheeks
- Sleep disturbances
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- In the long term, difficulty chewing and even speaking.
There are cases of patients who only discover that they are bruxists when their dentist in Valencia notices levels of dental erosion.
When we speak of bruxism, we immediately relate it to an ailment that affects the teeth or the chewing apparatus.
However, your dentist in Valencia can confirm that it is also a disorder that closely coexists with sleep disorders. It is one of the most worrying parasomnias and orofacial disorders, since they affect both oral and muscular health.
Sleep is biologically essential to the normal development of life. Its absence or alteration can seriously affect health, reducing cognitive function, performance, mood and functional state and quality of life, and can lead to psychopathological and even psychiatric disorders.
Apart from the symptoms already mentioned, the effects of bruxism can vary and progress, altering the endocrine and immune functions that are activated during periods of sleep.
Thus, it is important to distinguish between two types of bruxism:
Daytime Bruxism are episodes of dental clenching related to external psychosocial or environmental stimuli that tend to increase with age. It is usually more tightening than grinding, while the nocturnal can occur in both variants.
Night Bruxism generally involves episodes of teeth grinding severely influenced by stress and anxiety. It is one of the symptoms associated with sleep apnea.
Sleep bruxism is characterized by involuntary reactions to chewing activity associated with the presence of brief unconscious arousals and the occasional presence of grinding noises.
Both types of bruxism can coexist.
Treatment
According to studies by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the management of bruxism can vary depending on the factors that trigger it. Therefore, the first thing that is needed is an accurate diagnosis from your dentist in Valencia. Currently the treatment is based on different aspects.
- Discharge splints, which reposition the condyles and progressively relax the muscles, at the same time protecting the teeth from wear and tear and improving the quality of sleep.
- Pharmacological treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and / or codeine
- Botulinum toxin infiltration
- Cognitive Therapy
- Physiotherapy
Do you think maybe you can be a bruxist? Call us and make your first appointment online or through the phone. 96 3303344 or 96 0500242 or on our page www.clinicadentalponssoria.com and consult with your dentist in Valencia.
We will be happy to assist you at our clinic on Calle Alfredo Torán y Olmos, 7 (corner of Avda. Francia, 27) Valencia.
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