Clenched teeth cause. Meaning of the phrase "grit your teeth". What is bruxism in adults

Your wife is right. Gritting or grinding of teeth puts pressure on the temporomandibular jaw joint, so you should be experiencing jaw pain first. But it is also possible head and Ear ache and even facial muscles. The muscles get tired and, as a result, spasms begin, which, by the way, can lead to chain reaction. And then not only yawning will be accompanied by painful sensations, the pain will begin to permeate other parts of the body - the back, neck, shoulders.

The fact that you do not notice this, or rather, do not associate a headache with clenched teeth, is quite understandable. People grit their teeth during times of great excitement or stress: the mind is occupied with other thoughts and the person cannot control his actions. Most people who grind or clench their teeth do so involuntarily during sleep.

To get rid of a habit that leads to a serious dental disease, spontaneous toothache, and even loss of fillings, crowns, and even teeth, some preventive measures at home will help.

First, cut down… your intake of caffeine, which affects your jaw muscles, and stop chewing (if you have) chewing gum: this process has unwanted pressure on the jaw. Secondly, try to actively relax the jaw muscles. Before going to bed, place two warm flannel sheets on your jaw and keep them on for a few minutes. This procedure helps to relax the jaw, which will help to avoid unwanted clenching of teeth during sleep.

Your jaws will stubbornly “stand on their own” - contact your dentist. He will install a special plastic device that will "wean" you from this habit. If this does not help, then it may be worth deciding on an operation. There are many options treatment: from ultrasound and electrical stimulation to special operations.

Well, besides (or above all!) Try to deal with your inner tension, its causes. It is quite possible that after a detailed analysis, you will understand: the stress that corrodes the soul and leads to depression, which you hide deep in your soul, is not worth your clenched teeth!

By the way, note: depression leads not only to obesity, loss of strength, weakened immunity and, as a result, infectious diseases, to diseases internal organs, addiction to alcohol and drugs, and so on. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, after monitoring 949 patients over 17 years, found that depression increases the risk of developing dementia. “It is too early to say that depression leads to dementia, but there are several ways in which it can affect the development of dementia,” explains study author Jane Saczynski. – For example, with depression, inflammation of the brain tissue occurs, the concentration of certain proteins in the brain increases – all this can contribute to dementia. In addition, long-term depression affects lifestyle: changing attitudes towards diet, exercise and socialization - and this also increases the risk. How do you like the prospect?

Bruxism is paroxysmal contractions of the masticatory muscles that occur periodically during sleep, accompanied by clenching of the jaws and grinding of teeth. Bruxism is observed, according to studies, in 1-3% of the population, both adults and children.

The clinical picture of the disease is a sudden grinding of the teeth, which lasts for several seconds or minutes. During sleep, such attacks are repeated many times and may be accompanied by respiratory failure, changes in blood pressure, heart rate.

Symptoms

• morning headaches
• jaw pain
• Pain in the temporomandibular joints
• Ringing or pain in the ears
• Pain in paranasal sinuses nose
• Pain in the neck, shoulders, back
• High sensitivity or eye irritation
• Vestibular vertigo or tingling in the head
• stress, depression
• malnutrition
• bad dream, insomnia
• Daytime sleepiness

Causes

The causes of bruxism are not fully understood. According to most researchers, bruxism occurs more often in people experiencing stress loads, psychological disorders, which entail internal anxiety, anger, tension, an excited state before going to bed. In addition, the causes of bruxism can be sleep disorders, namely somnambulism, enuresis, nightmares, snoring and periods of cessation of breathing during sleep.

As a rule, the diagnosis is established on the basis of the anamnesis. The patient may complain, in addition to teeth grinding, of muscle and joint pain in the area mandible. The diagnosis can be confirmed with a polysomnographic study, in which the contraction of the masticatory muscles is recorded. Polysomnography is also important to rule out epilepsy as causative factor bruxism.

Types of bruxism

There are two forms of bruxism: daytime and nocturnal. daytime bruxism manifests itself during wakefulness. A person strongly (up to the dental sktip) clenches his teeth in moments of emotional stress. Nocturnal bruxism manifests itself in clenching teeth and grinding or tapping them during sleep, when a person cannot control himself. In this case, several seizures can occur during the night. Nocturnal bruxism is much more common than daytime bruxism.

Treatment

The treatment of bruxism remains a difficult problem to date. It depends largely on the time of development, the causes and nature of the course of the disease. Her treatment will be more successful the earlier the disease is diagnosed.

You should not feel anxious in case of short-term (up to 10 seconds) irregular bouts of teeth grinding. Most likely this is not bruxism, but momentary reactions to stressful situations healthy person. The alarm needs to be beaten when such attacks become regular.

Fighting bruxism on your own is almost pointless. As soon as you suspect that you have this disease, contact a sleep specialist. He will give you professional advice and prescribe competent treatment.

It is important to know that bruxism in children sometimes does not require special treatment, and may eventually go away on its own by 6-7 years. Bruxism in adults must be treated.

If bruxism persists in an adult, then:

• If possible, all existing dental problems or malocclusion
• To wear a special intraoral protective device (kappa) made of rubber or soft plastic during sleep, which is made according to the shape and size of your teeth, is fixed between the teeth and prevents injury. Although this device helps to cope with bruxism, it does not cure it.
• How additional treatment magnesium, calcium and B vitamins can be used. Saturation of the body with these microelements and vitamins can reduce the convulsive activity of the masticatory muscles during sleep.
• You can also apply a warm, damp towel to your cheeks, this will help you relax muscles that are tired from clenching your teeth.
• Learn to relax. - Because the main reason Bruxism is an everyday stress, any way to relieve stress - listening to music, reading books, walking or bathing - can help. You may need to go to counseling to learn how to deal with stressful situations effectively.
• Psychotherapy helps best of all, which is aimed at identifying conflicts, understanding them and developing the ability to more effectively cope with the daily difficulties of life.

• Rest your jaws. If your child is not chewing, swallowing, or talking, upper and lower teeth should not touch. If the teeth are in contact, they are compressed, and this is just one step before grinding. Explain this to your child and ask him to try to keep his teeth slightly apart when the jaws are relaxed.
• Encourage exercise. Regular exercise can help your child relieve stress and muscle tension, which in people prone to this can cause nightly grinding of teeth.
• Calm activities before going to bed. The child should not take part in the struggle, active and violent games before going to bed. Tight muscles take time to relax before the child falls asleep. Make it so that an hour before going to bed, the child was in a calm state. At this time, you can read a book or let him read for himself or look at a picture book.
• Try to put the baby to bed early. Perhaps your child is overworked, and this may push him to grind his teeth during sleep. In this case, going to bed earlier can help.
• Avoid eating before bed. If digestive juices work on the night shift, this can lead to unnecessary stress for the child during sleep. Don't let your child eat or drink anything other than water one hour before bedtime.
• Talk to your child about his problems. If your child is worried about a difficult assignment or a school play coming up soon, this may be the reason that makes him gnash his teeth at night. If something is bothering your child, don't let him go to bed with that worry in his head. Talk to him before going to bed to leave him with all the worries, this often helps to relieve tension. Let a five or ten minute conversation with you become a daily soothing routine before the child falls asleep.
• Apply warm, moist compresses. If your child's jaw hurts in the morning, soak a washcloth in warm water, squeeze it and apply it to the sore jaw until the child feels better. This will help soothe the pain.

Consequences

If bruxism has been observed for quite a long time and is not treated in any way, then it can cause the development of other serious illnesses, such as:

• Loose teeth, broken teeth
• Pathological increased abrasion of tooth enamel and tooth tissue, abrasion of dentin
• Caries
• Inflammation of periodontal tissues
• Malocclusion
• Sensitization of tooth enamel
• Headache
• Pathology of the joints of the temporomandibular region
• Spasms and pain of the muscles of the face

A person suffering from gnashing of teeth can repel many people from himself, which gives rise to a complex of psychological problems and a feeling of internal discomfort. All this indicates that people who grind their teeth in their sleep need medical attention.

Probably, many have heard the expression "bite the bullet." Someone got advice difficult situation, someone tried to calm or console. In addition, there are certain conditions when a person literally clenches his jaw - this is, for example, a state of stress or even illness. What do these words really mean? Let's start with dictionaries.

What do dictionaries say

In Dahl's dictionary there is no interpretation of this expression, but there is a reference to it in the explanation of the concept of "squeeze". The author of the dictionary believes that one can grit one's teeth in anger. Also, Ozhegov's dictionary gives an example with the word "squeeze", explaining the expression as "keep silent, endure."

The dictionary of synonyms defines the expression as "to force oneself to restrain oneself". Phrasebook adds that in the literary language this expression is considered colloquial and expresses expression. A person can use it, holding back a sense of protest.

The dictionary of many expressions interprets it as "to show restraint." The Michelson Dictionary considers the expression allegorical, used in cases of describing anger or rage.

In books

It seems that dictionaries do not give any specific meaning to the phraseological unit “bite the teeth”. In this case, it is worth turning to the literature. Here is how writers use this expression:

• But, gritting your teeth, you make your way forward (P. Molitvin).
• “What do you want?” he said to him, gritting his teeth (A. Pushkin).
• Taking breath through convulsively clenched teeth (Markevich).
• Grit your teeth in order to give a stronger change (V. Pichugin).

What other languages ​​have this expression?

Similar expressions are found in German and English. In German, the expression die Zähne beißen literally translates as "bite one's teeth." It is used by E. M. Remarque. Germans can also say: Ich biß die Zähne zusammen. It literally means "I bit my teeth together".

IN English language also have this phraseology. J. Rolling, for example, in the Harry Potter series of books uses the expression to gritted his teeth ("rub his teeth") like this: Harry gritted his teeth and nodded ("Harry clenched his teeth and nodded").

But there is an even more ancient expression Bite a bullet, which literally translates as "bite a bullet." Interestingly, this idiom was at first a literal description of a procedure used instead of anesthesia. The fact is that in the 1700s, during the emergency operation on the battlefield, soldiers were given a bullet in their mouths to distract them from pain. The man did not scream and get distracted so much: in order not to swallow the bullet, it was necessary to control its position in the mouth.

Over time, the expression "bite the bullet" became allegorical and now means "doing something unpleasant, uncomfortable." It could be making a difficult decision, driving an old car, passing an unpopular law for the sake of future good.

In French there is a similar expression (mordre la balle), literally meaning "to bite the ball". IN Italian there is stringere i denti, which translates as "to tighten the teeth."

The nature of phraseology

When a patient comes to the doctor's appointment and says: "I clench my teeth hard," this speaks of certain symptom. In medicine, the following clenching of the jaws is distinguished:

1. As a reaction to an event (anger, fear, physical stress).
2. Involuntary grinding of teeth (bursism).

Apparently, observing the behavior of people in different situations and gave rise to this expression. Interestingly, in Holy Scripture"crying and gnashing of teeth" is mentioned as a reaction of people to punishment.

The life of modern people is characterized by a fast rhythm, heavy workload, all sorts of problems and stresses. New diseases have appeared, caused by the functioning of the body at the limit of its capabilities. One of them is bursism. This is an unconscious strong compression of the jaws, often in a dream, leading to the pathology of the oral cavity and masticatory apparatus. Doctors unanimously name the reason - the inability to relax and rest, to cope with negative emotions.

When a man wants to grit his teeth

At heavy loads in the body there is a mechanism of compression of the jaws. In this case, the tension is concentrated in the masticatory muscle. It increases in volume if a person is in danger, and is the strongest. Average person develops a force of up to 72 kg, the Guinness book record is about 400 kg.

Athletes are well aware of this phenomenon. They learn to relax the masticatory muscles during periods of great physical exertion. This allows you to free the spine and directs energy in the right direction. This action requires great concentration. People who do not play sports are advised not to imitate athletes, as this makes it difficult to evacuate stress. This can lead to stomach ulcers. Sedatives, leading to muscle relaxation, drooping of the lower jaw, block the release of tension. Thus, the way out of stress by the forces of the body is disturbed.

As you can see, gritting your teeth in certain situations is normal. So, for example, players in tug of war act.

When is this expression used?

There are several situations in life when it would be appropriate to use the idiom "bite the bullet":

1. When you need to endure something: physical or emotional pain, an unpleasant neighborhood or period of time. When for the sake of the future good it is necessary to endure the hardships of the present day.
2. When you need to restrain your temperament so as not to say too much.
3. When you have to do unpleasant or dangerous work.
4. When to show courage.

All these situations fit the meaning of "bite the bullet". But there are cases when this is no longer a figurative phrase, but a direct threat to health. The expression on the face with clenched teeth is a sign of severe pain. Often these are heart problems. In such cases, urgent medical attention is required.

Summing up

It turns out that this expression is a consequence of observations of human behavior in various situations. It is not invented artificially and is not the creation of the writer. It turns out that it was born by the body's natural defense mechanisms in stressful situations. How can you not remember similar catchphrases:

• The hamstrings are shaking.
• Fly with happiness.
• The heart jumps out of the chest.
• Turn to stone in surprise.
• The hair on the head moves.
• Goosebumps.
• The soul is gone.

Without these figurative expressions, there would be no bright, original language. People are not robots. They express their creativity in speech. And who ever experienced something like this - be sure to tell about it.

Jaw clenching in animals is an important defensive reflex, which allows not only to tear apart food, but also to defend against predators. It is believed that in the process of evolution it was inherited by man. Therefore, jaw tension is the first reaction to stress in young children. Normally, as they grow older, new, more appropriate ways of responding to unpleasant influences appear, and the child clenches his jaw less and less. But approximately 20% of people have hereditary hyperactivity of masticatory center neurons in the brain. Clenching their teeth is a psychosomatic reaction, a way to release nervous tension through the actions of the body. At the same time, people do not even realize that they are straining their jaws. Not everyone is able to admit: I grit my teeth hard.

When a patient comes to us with hyperfunction of masticatory muscles, we ask him if he clenches his teeth during the day, if he grinds his teeth at night, and he, as a rule, answers that he does not. And then we let him go for a week with the task: to fix his
attention to the position of the lower jaw throughout the day. Imagine their shock when they come a week later and say that indeed their teeth were clenched all the time!

WHAT IS THE DANGER?

The problem is not only in the clenching of the jaws, but also in those conditions in which it most often occurs.

People with bruxism, or overactive chewing muscles, tend to have high levels of anxiety. Constant clenching of the jaws leads to dental problems, primarily to abrasion of tooth enamel. A common complication of bruxism is headache. People usually describe this pain, caused by tension in the muscles of the head, as reminiscent of a "hard hat" or "hoop". In addition, the constant tension of the masticatory muscles causes dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, which can also lead to constant pain.

Arise and aesthetic problems. Hypertrophy of the chewing muscle provokes hypertrophy of the angle of the lower jaw, that is bone tissue.

This happens because the muscles are attached to the protrusions of the bones, and the larger the muscle grows, the more voluminous the bone associated with it becomes. That's why Bottom part a person's face becomes wide, massive, heavy. The corners of the mouth look lowered, sagging patches of skin are quickly formed - fleas.

DOCTORS WILL HELP

When a patient comes to us claiming: I clench my teeth strongly, we conduct special tests to assess the condition nervous system. We give brooks-checkers - pads that must be installed on the teeth before going to bed. Impressions remain on them, allowing you to assess the activity of the masticatory muscles during the night. The deeper the impression, the stronger man clenched his jaw. Some patients with bruxism return such systems to us with holes through and through, although it is difficult to bite through them.

In severe cases, we refer to polysomnography - a study of night sleep, which allows you to objectively document the activity of the masticatory muscles. At the moment of wakefulness, we can conduct a surface electromyography of the masticatory muscles - a record of their electrical activity using electrodes installed on the skin of the face.

We also do an orthopantomogram ( panoramic shot teeth) to exclude dentoalveolar pathology and evaluate signs of bone tissue hypertrophy in the area of ​​the mandibular angles.

And based on the results of all these studies, we make a decision on therapy.

First of all, we make a special splint (kappa) for a person, which is installed on the lower jaw. In it, a person sleeps and spends 1-2 hours during the day. Kappa does not allow the jaws to close, serves as an obstacle. In addition, when wearing a mouthguard, the masticatory muscles are stretched, and the spasm gradually disappears. We also ask the patient to fix attention on the position of the jaw (when a person is silent, then the lips are closed, and the jaws should be open) in order to try to unlearn the habit of clenching the jaws. In addition, we evaluate the psycho-emotional state of a person, because teeth are clenched precisely against the background of stress. In this case, anti-anxiety, neurotropic drugs, vitamins can be prescribed. Sometimes consultations of a psychoanalyst are recommended - after the resolution of psycho-emotional problems and intrapersonal conflicts, the problem of hyperactivity of the masticatory muscles may come to naught.

If all these methods do not bring pronounced success, we proceed to the second stage of therapy - these are injections of botulinum toxin tin A. The same substance is used to treat hyperhidrosis, migraines and smooth wrinkles. IN this case we inject it into the masticatory muscle. At the same time, the function of chewing is preserved, but the ability to clench the teeth temporarily decreases. And again, we ask patients to remember this state well, when the muscles are relaxed, in order to learn how to reproduce it in the future.

On average, we do injections once a year. For most people, 2-3 injections are enough, then the person himself weans himself from the habit of clenching his teeth. Incidentally, this can be seen when former patient a year later he enters the office: if the hypertrophy of the masticatory muscle goes away, the hypertrophy of the bone tissue also goes away, the volume of the lower half of the face decreases. There is a feeling that the person has lost weight. Improvements are not only visual: they are confirmed by the data of repeated orthopantomogram.

With such a phenomenon as an unconscious grinding of teeth, every adult has encountered at least once in his life. Isolated cases of bruxism do not threaten health, but if such attacks become permanent, then it is necessary to find out the cause of their occurrence and think about treatment, otherwise serious complications cannot be avoided.

What is bruxism in adults?

Bruxism (Carolini phenomenon, odonterism) is a condition that is characterized by paroxysmal contraction of the masticatory muscles. At the same time, the jaws clench in a person, and a short-term gnashing of teeth occurs. The disease occurs in 8-15% of the adult population.

The most common cause of pathology is stress or emotional stress. Attacks can be observed with dental diseases, malocclusion, inappropriate dentures.

In the severe course of the disease, pathological erasure teeth, periodontal tissues become inflamed, arthrosis of the jaw joints develops. In addition, the person suffers from severe pain in the lower jaw, noise and ringing in the ears, sleep disorders.

Types of odontism

The disease is day and night. Seizures daytime bruxism occur at a time when a person is awake, mainly with strong emotional stress. The treatment of this form of pathology largely depends on the patient himself and his ability to self-control.

In the second case, the signs of the disease appear at night, when a person is sleeping and is unable to control himself. Such attacks can be repeated. In this case, the person's breathing is disturbed, the arterial pressure, pulse rate.

In addition, bruxism is:

• noisy (with grinding). The grinding of teeth that occurs in a person is accompanied by a characteristic sound. The disease can cause premature wear of the teeth;
• quiet (with squeezing). With this form, the teeth are compressed silently. The consequences of silent (oriented) bruxism are minor defects in tooth enamel;
• mixed. It is a combination of both forms, alternating with each other.

Causes and development factors

To date, the causes of this disorder are not fully understood, but there are several theories that explain its occurrence.

The insidiousness of the disease is that when it occurs at night, a person may not even be aware of the existence of a problem. Gritting of teeth lasts only a few seconds, the patient does not even have time to wake up. Attacks can be repeated many times.

It is possible to suspect the presence of pathology only by indirect signs, such as:

• morning headache;
• soreness in the jaw area;
• noise, ringing in the ears;
• discomfort in the neck, shoulders, back;
• dizziness;
• sleep problems;
• daytime sleepiness;
• pain when chewing;
• depressive state;
• tooth abrasion, periodontal inflammation and changes in bite;
• clicks in the maxillofacial joints.

Diagnostic methods

Most often, bruxism is diagnosed on the basis of subjective complaints of the patient or his relatives. During a dental examination, the doctor may suspect the presence of a pathology if indirect signs of it are found: abrasion, tooth sensitivity, enamel defects, destruction of dentures. If a person complains of clicking or discomfort in the jaw joint while chewing or yawning, x-rays are recommended.

For objective diagnosis, brooks-checkers are used - caps made from a cast of the patient's jaws. The device is put on at night, then given to the clinic for analysis, on the basis of which the doctor can confirm the fact of bruxism. This method will also help to find out which teeth are subjected to the greatest load. Additionally, the patient may need to consult other specialists: a psychologist, a neuropathologist, an osteopath, an otolaryngologist and a gastroenterologist.

To clarify the diagnosis, electromyography is used, which is necessary to analyze the work of the chewing muscles, their maximum effort, and the symmetry of chewing. In order to fully assess the activity of the brain, the staging of a person’s sleep, to fix the spasms of the masticatory muscles, polysomnography is performed. The patient falls into sleep, during which special sensors record the performance of his brain, breathing rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle movements. Such a study allows differential diagnosis with epilepsy.

How to get rid of the disease

At first glance, teeth grinding is not a very serious ailment. But if you do not do the treatment, then various dental problems may arise:

• cracks appear in the enamel;
• caries develops;
• teeth are worn out, loosened and fall out;
• gums are injured;
• sores appear in the mouth;
• bite is broken;
• develop diseases of the temporomandibular joints.

In addition, bruxism is the cause of constant psychological discomfort. A person feels inferior, becomes withdrawn and irritable. Complicates the quality of life, observed fast fatiguability, constant headaches, depression.

Causes and treatment of bruxism - video

Treatment of bruxism is not an easy task, since it is quite difficult to determine the cause of the disease. Most often, such a problem is dealt with by dentists. But best results can be achieved with complex treatment. Therapy should include the following areas:

• Dental treatment. The patient should be examined by a periodontist, orthodontist, dental orthopedist. If necessary, the patient will correct the bite, replace fillings and crowns.
• Psychotherapeutic treatment. The specialist will help to identify the conflict, realize it, teach you how to effectively cope with everyday difficulties and emotional upheavals, and relax.
• Sedimentary therapy. In some cases, in order to reduce the activity of the chewing muscles, you will need to take medications that have sedative and hypnotic properties, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins.
• Physiotherapy. A relaxing massage, wet compresses on the jaw area will help improve the patient's condition.
• Botox injections. This method is used in the most complex and neglected situations. Botox is injected into the muscles of the jaws, after which they cannot contract spontaneously.

Daytime bruxism treatment

Successful treatment of this form of the disease largely depends on the patient himself. You need to learn self-control, try to get rid of the habit of grinding your teeth in stressful situations. Help reduce the effects of stress various methods:

• relaxation. Yoga and Pilates will be beneficial. Specific relaxation exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety levels. You can attend psychotherapy sessions;
• kinesiology. Stimulation of energy points will help eliminate the effects of stress and tension;
• osteopathy. A series of exercises and manipulations by an osteopathic doctor affects the facial and cervical muscles in order to reduce tension in these areas. As a result, stress levels are reduced.

In cases where the cause of bruxism is another pathology, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease or alleviating its course.

Treatment for nocturnal bruxism

Nocturnal manifestations of pathology are not controlled by a person, therefore, in this case, it is recommended to use special night guards. They are made from plastic or rubber. The device is put on the teeth before going to bed, does not allow them to close and prevents erasure during attacks.

The cap is made individually for each patient. By itself, such a device will not relieve bruxism, it is used only to protect teeth from abrasion.

During treatment, you need to follow following recommendations:

1. Control the position of your teeth. When the mouth is closed, the upper and lower teeth do not touch. Do not allow strong jaw clenching.
2. Avoid stressful situations. Since teeth grinding is a response to stress, you need to find a way to reduce its impact. It can be a relaxing massage or bath, walking, yoga, light physical activity.
3. To reduce the frequency of night attacks, it is useful to gnaw nuts, carrots, seeds before going to bed. After such a load on the jaw, the likelihood of squeaking teeth will decrease. During the day you can use chewing gum.

ethnoscience

1. Valerian. Great remedy which promotes muscle relaxation and deep sleep. You can use valerian oil, which must be mixed with olive oil, and rub the resulting product on the neck and jaw area. Inside it is useful to drink tea with valerian.
2. Infusion or tea from chamomile. Good depressant not only for muscles, but for the whole body. The drink can be purchased ready-made at the pharmacy, or you can prepare it yourself:
   • 2 tsp dry chamomile flowers pour boiling water;
   • insist five minutes;
   • Add honey or lemon if desired. The remedy should be drunk two to three hours before bedtime.
3. Milk and turmeric. Milk is recommended to be taken before bed. warm form to relax and immerse yourself in deep dream. Milk in combination with turmeric saturates the body with calcium, which is necessary for the teeth to develop normally. In addition, this tool reduces pain with unconscious gnashing. To prepare the remedy:
   • bring a cup of milk to a boil;
   • add 1 tsp. turmeric;
   • mix and add 1 tbsp. l. honey. Drink a drink half an hour before bedtime.

Folk remedies in the photo

Treatment prognosis and possible complications

If you notice signs of a disease in yourself, it is better to consult a specialist. After spending complex diagnostics the doctor will prescribe necessary treatment which will get rid of this problem and its consequences.

You should not try to cure bruxism on your own, such actions are often ineffective and can lead to backfire, such as:

• enamel abrasion and tooth decay;
• headache;
• problems with the joints of the jaws (pain and crunch);
• insomnia;
• depression.

Prevention measures

Some good habits help to prevent the disease or reduce its manifestations:

• avoid stressful situations or try to reduce their number;
• before going to bed, do something relaxing: read a book, listen to music, take a warm bath. Active actions it is better to leave in the morning;
• do not overload the jaw when it is not required;
• Avoid or limit your intake of foods that are high in caffeine and carbohydrates
• walk more often fresh air. Such leisure increases the production of happiness hormones;
• in order to relax the jaw, apply warm compresses;
• consume before bed solid food. This will tire the jaw muscles and calm them down while you sleep.

If left untreated, such a seemingly harmless habit as teeth grinding can become a source of dental, psychological and other problems. Therefore, for medical care must be contacted. And if the treatment does not give results, do not hesitate to consult with other specialists, perhaps the cause of the disease was not established correctly.

medvoice.ru

Often people cannot relax their jaws during sleep. During the day, they manage to control the non-clenching of their teeth, but at night their teeth are tightly interlocked, which is reflected on the face in the morning, and you have to start all over again. I will not go into the deep psychological part of this aspect, why this happens, and although it is very important, but this is a conversation for another topic.

1. Use special dental trainers designed to prevent clenching of teeth and prevent bruxism.

2. Not clenching your teeth during the day is not enough. It is necessary to ensure that the upper jaw soars, is in a gently elevated position, lagging behind the lower. The control here can be the position of the palate (upper palate). The palate should be rounded, soft small dome. There should be space between the palate and the free-lying (or fluent) tongue in the mouth. It can be imagined that upper palate a small air cushion is attached from inside the mouth, which is a kind of layer between the palate and the tongue, and does not allow the upper palate to lean and come into contact with the tongue - not even when we are in calm state, nor when we speak.

3. Smile, lady, smile! Fall asleep with a smile on your face. The muscles of the face straighten in width and relax. Even if you fall asleep in the darkest of moods, parting your lips into a smile, albeit an artificial one, will bear fruit after a while, neutralizing the emotional background and relaxing the muscles that make the jaws tighten. And even if at first this smile is through force, only with muscles, your “keep a smile” is still not visible in the dark, but in the morning your face will please you.

Try to smile "Ribbon Smile", pulling the corners of the lips to the earlobes with imaginary ribbons.

If you wake up the next morning with your eyebrows shifted into a "frown" and your cheeks close to the center, add to your smile eyebrow smile(see Ribbons for the brow) and smile infraorbital area(Ribbon for undereye).

©Laine Butter, specially for the site ageless.su

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What is bruxism

Translated from the ancient Greek language, the word "bruxism" means "gnashing of teeth." This disease can manifest itself both during sleep and during wakefulness. More common is the nocturnal form of the disease, when the patient complains of grinding during sleep. At the same time, for quite a long time, the patient himself may not be aware that he grinds his teeth during sleep, usually other family members tell him about it. The daytime form of bruxism is somewhat less common, while the patient himself notes the presence of a problem and tries to fight it with the help of self-control.

Grinding teeth during sleep or wakefulness negatively affects not only the state of the enamel, but also the state of the jaw joints. Over time, they can become inflamed and hurt.

Manifestations of bruxism are periodic, that is, the patient does not constantly grind his teeth. During a night's sleep, repeated bouts of contraction of the masticatory muscles are observed, which leads to the closing of the jaws and a characteristic rattle.

According to statistics, from 5 to 15 percent of the population complain about grinding their teeth in their sleep. At the same time, doctors have not yet fully established the causes of the onset of this disease. It is believed that one of the main causes is nervous strain, susceptibility frequent stress. We will look at the causes of bruxism in more detail in the next section.

Causes

To date, doctors have not come to a consensus, which is why bruxism occurs. Since teeth grinding at night occurs due to hypertonicity of the masticatory muscles, it is believed that the cause of the disease is a nervous shock, overstrain, and the presence of a constant irritating factor. That is, in a dream, the patient cannot control the state of the facial muscles, therefore, it involuntarily contracts, causing the notorious night creak teeth. That is why the nocturnal form of bruxism is much more common than the daytime form - during wakefulness, a person controls the condition much more successfully. facial muscles and by an effort of will does not allow the closing of the jaws and their gnashing.

The main secondary causes of bruxism:

• malocclusion;
• the absence of certain groups of teeth in the patient;
• poor quality filling;
• difficult getting used to the bracket system or prosthesis.

Dentists note that bruxism and dentures are often linked. In any case, at the first signs of bruxism, you should contact your dentist to determine the cause of the disease and possible methods treatment.

Teeth grinding during sleep is insidious in that the patient may not even be aware of the problem for a long time. After all, the presence of the disease is evidenced only by indirect signs bruxism, and the creak itself can only be heard by an outsider, and even then not always. Therefore, you should pay attention to the presence of the following symptoms and sensations:

• the presence of morning headaches, as well as pain in the temporomandibular joints, neck, back, shoulders;
• having frequent and prolonged pain in the ears, paranasal sinuses;
• ringing in the ears or dizziness;
• prolonged stress or nervous tension;
• depressive state;
• sleep disorders;
• manifestation of daytime sleepiness.

All these symptoms do not unambiguously indicate the presence of pathology, but they should alert both the patient and the doctor. If, in addition, the patient has an increased abrasion of the teeth, their looseness, a change in bite, then it is time to suspect the presence of bruxism.

Signs of teeth grinding while sleeping

Grinding of teeth during sleep can last only a few seconds, but such attacks are repeated many times. The grinding is heard suddenly and just as suddenly stops, while the patient does not wake up for an hour and does not even realize that he is grinding his teeth.

The dentist establishes a diagnosis based on an analysis of the clinical picture and a detailed history. Grinding of teeth is not the only sign of the disease; muscle and joint pains in the area of ​​the jaw joints, which increase after sleep, also indicate its presence. In parallel, the doctor can state the erasure of dentin, the presence of an inflammatory process in periodontal tissues. This is due to the fact that during the closing of the jaws, the teeth and periodontal tissues of the lower jaw are injured.

To confirm the diagnosis, the dentist can also use the technique of polysomnographic examination. This study will help to establish the presence of the disease, as well as exclude epilepsy, since bruxism can be a sign of it, and epileptic bruxism requires a completely different method of treatment.

Forms of bruxism

As mentioned above, there are two forms of bruxism - nocturnal and daytime. They are of the same nature, the only difference is that nocturnal bruxism cannot be controlled by a person, while daytime bruxism is well controlled. Let us consider in more detail both forms of the disease.

day form

Daytime teeth grinding is less common than the nocturnal form of the disease. The fact is that during the day a person can constantly control himself, including the position of the jaw. That is, if the jaws begin to close, a person can suppress this reflex by an effort of will, controlling his condition. Associated conditions are thumb sucking or biting, lip biting, wrong position jaws.

The psychosomatics of bruxism is that during nervous tension, the jaw and facial muscles involuntarily contract, and the teeth clench. To get rid of daytime bruxism, the patient must control the position of the jaw, avoiding clenching of the jaws during stress or nervous tension. It is also recommended to visit a psychologist to learn how to manage your mental state.

night form

Grinding of teeth during sleep is more dangerous, since the patient cannot control his condition in any way. The load on the teeth leads to abrasion of the enamel and trauma to the periodontal tissues. From excessive stress jaw joints suffer. Therefore, nocturnal bruxism should not be ignored, and if it occurs, it is necessary to consult a dentist. A reliable way to protect against injury and increased abrasion is a nightcap. It does not allow the teeth to close during sleep and therefore prevents them from injury.

Another way to treat nighttime bruxism is Botox injections, which are injected into the jaw muscles, preventing it from contracting involuntarily during sleep. The method of treating the disease can only be chosen by an experienced dentist.

Bruxism in adults

Teeth grinding in adults is observed in both men and women. The main cause of the disease is stress and increased nervous tension. With chronic bruxism, the patient's teeth are gradually completely erased and destroyed, so the appearance of symptoms of the disease should not be taken lightly.

In parallel with the treatment prescribed by the doctor, the patient can independently try to minimize harmful influence nervous strain. For this you need:

• analyze stress factors in detail and minimize them;
• do auto-training before going to bed;
• relax the masticatory muscles by willpower as soon as they begin to tighten.

It should be noted that in adults, bruxism does not go away on its own, it must be treated under the supervision of an experienced doctor. The patient may begin to grind his teeth in his sleep after a strong emotional trauma - loss loved one change of job or place of residence. That's why psychological support in this case is very important.

Bruxism in children

Bruxism occurs in about half of children and, unlike adult form does not require disease special treatment. In most cases, it resolves on its own over time without causing any complications. Children's bruxism is noticeable from the side, and parents often pay attention to the fact that their child knocks his teeth, and eventually begins to grind them. Usually, over time, children get rid of this habit on their own.

If children grind their teeth for long months or years, this condition can cause significant enamel wear and damage to the jaw joint. In this case, you need to contact pediatric dentist. The treatment of children's bruxism is identical to the treatment of the adult form of the disease - a special cap is installed at night, which does not allow the teeth to touch. During the day, it is necessary to teach the child to control the state of the facial muscles, not allowing the teeth to touch and knock.

Consequences

The consequences of bruxism, if left untreated, can be the most negative:

• jaw pain may occur, which eventually become chronic;
• grinding teeth leads to increased abrasion of teeth, their displacement and loosening;
• bruxism does not allow a person to rest properly and can lead to constant migraines, pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. The displacement causes a change in bite, which, in turn, causes unnecessary stress on the jaw joint. In the future, it can become inflamed, start to hurt, which negatively affects the quality of life of the patient.

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Reasons for development

Bruxism is a disorder that causes the jaw to clench involuntarily. This occurs after contraction of the masticatory muscles. This process accompanied by gnashing of teeth. Which lasts from ten seconds to several minutes. Such attacks are fraught with a violation of the pulse, respiration and pressure. The specificity of the disease is that it can manifest itself regardless of the age of the person. Children's bruxism is manifested in 50% of children, and adults with this disease are much less - approximately 20%. But no one knows the real figure, because many people do not even know that they tend to grind their teeth in their sleep.

It is still impossible to say with accuracy about the main causes of bruxism. There is an opinion that the causes of the disease are associated with sleep disturbance. Symptoms of bruxism can often be found in people with pathologies of the structure of the face. Doctors say bruxism is a disease aggressive people who in reality are forced to suppress feelings of anger, stress and emotional stress.

If the disease began to develop absolutely suddenly, then you should immediately undergo an examination in order to find out exact reasons bruxism. Running stage the stage of the disease can provoke epilepsy and other serious diseases. In addition, gnashing of teeth creates communication problems. Such people are annoying to others, but they really need understanding and medical attention.

In order for the disease not to take you or your loved ones by surprise, it will be useful to know its symptoms:

• pathology of the joint of the lower jaw;
• gnashing of teeth;
• bite problems;
• tendency to pathology of tooth wear;
• tooth hypersensitivity;
• unstable teeth, prone to fractures;
• headaches and migraines;
• spasmodic attacks on the facial muscles.

It is worth saying that there are two subspecies of bruxism, day and night. The first type is manifested in the habit of strong clenching of teeth during tension or involuntary grinding of teeth in daytime. Nocturnal bruxism is manifested in the tight clenching and grinding of teeth at night, especially during sleep. It happens that during the night the attack is repeated several times. By the way, nocturnal bruxism occurs much more often than daytime.

Childhood bruxism usually does not cause serious problems and most children forget about this habit. But parents should pay serious attention to this if the grinding of teeth in a dream lasts more than 15 seconds. Over time, such actions lead to damage to the teeth and soft tissues. strong attack bruxism provokes the rise of the child in the middle of the night with a severe headache. Often added to headaches toothache that covers the entire face. Bruxism in children causes wear of the teeth, as well as the joint of the lower jaw. Therefore, if such a condition is detected in a child, you should immediately consult a doctor who will determine the severity of the disease and be able to prescribe adequate treatment.

How to treat bruxism

Treatment for bruxism involves complex therapy, the purpose of which is to find out the causes, nature and time of the course of the disease. Only a dentist can prescribe treatment, self-treatment is absolutely inappropriate here. But during the main treatment, you should follow some rules that will contribute to a faster recovery:

• it is imperative to pay attention to the condition of the teeth: when closing, the upper and lower teeth cannot touch;
• throughout the day you need to ensure that the teeth are in the correct position. In case of involuntary contraction, it is better to try to relax it;
• The best way to treat is to avoid stressful situations. First of all, you need to eliminate anxiety with the help of massage, relaxation, yoga and light physical exercises;
• it is necessary to fully load the jaws with work. When the jaw muscles feel tired, then the likelihood of grinding the teeth decreases. To do this, you can perform exercises with chewing gum. It is placed on one side of the mouth and chewed for five to seven minutes, then the gum is moved to the other side and chewed again. These tedious exercises will reduce the possibility of night grinding;
• bruxism can be effectively treated with the help of special caps. It is best to use thermoformed mouthguards that prevent abrasion of the teeth. These mouth guards have the effect of a splint and, by the same principle, protect the jaw joints from excessive stress. The tire can be selected after a detailed consultation with the dentist on an individual basis. The thermoplastic mouthguard serves as a reliable protector of teeth due to the use of a special homogeneous thermoplastic. This material was chosen by dentists not by chance, because it tends to fit perfectly to the upper row of teeth and provide protection for tooth surfaces;
• to protect the teeth during working hours, you can use special non-removable splints. As a rule, they are located deep in oral cavity and therefore invisible to others. Treatment of bruxism with daily caps ensures the restoration of the position of the head of the joint and the elimination of the causes of muscle spasm on the face;
• sometimes teeth grinding is caused by protruding fillings. They cause a slight asymmetry in the closing of the teeth. Fillings that protrude often provoke muscle failure, causing tension in the head, face and neck. This is the cause of bruxism in children, as the protrusion of fillings, in fact, is easily eliminated. If the jaw starts to hurt in the morning, then you need to apply a compress from a terry cloth soaked in warm water to it. Such compresses perfectly relieve pain.

Possible Complications

To many people, such a disease may seem completely non-serious. It would seem that a person is absolutely not harmed by grinding his teeth, especially since this defect is almost inaudible. In fact, this condition seriously harms not only the patient, but also those around him.

The first negative change is the abrasion of the surface of the teeth, both in the lower and upper jaws. In this regard, the resources of tooth enamel from this lose their hardness. The enamel layer becomes much thinner, and in particular advanced cases even wears down to the dentin. As a result of this, teeth are exposed to caries much more often, plus extensive inflammatory processes appear in the oral cavity. The teeth begin to loosen and interfere with each other. These changes are fraught with bite problems.

To understand the full danger of bruxism, it is necessary to be aware of the existence of hidden symptoms of the disease. Among them, doctors mention symptoms that at first glance have nothing to do with bruxism: fatigue, drowsiness and irritability. A person may think that these are just manifestations of stress, but when a headache, pain in the ears or sinuses is added to these sensations, then you need to be alert and set yourself up for a visit to the doctor. These manifestations are directly related to malocclusion, the onset of deformation of the jaw bones, as well as to disturbed sleep rhythm and insufficient rest.

Put accurate diagnosis electromyography may help. At the same time, special sensors register electrical impulses in the muscles during chewing and at rest. This procedure will allow the doctor to determine not only the nature pathological changes, but will take a step towards the development of an effective treatment strategy.

The information above suggests that early diagnosis of bruxism increases the chances of fast recovery. Moreover, eliminating the problem gives a real chance of maintaining dental health.

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Possible reasons

To date, experts have not yet come to a consensus. The exact factors that provoke involuntary contractions of the masticatory muscles in a particular person have not been established. And, although doctors still have a long time to understand the question "Bruxism - what is it?", The reasons clearly lie in neurology. Now the starting point of such a phenomenon is taken as a nervous overstrain or a strong emotional outburst. In addition, it is believed that if there is some annoying factor, regularly affecting the patient's psyche, this can also provoke bruxism.

The frequency of involuntary muscle contraction is more common at night than in the phase of daytime wakefulness. Experts attribute this to the fact that a person in consciousness controls his body, while in a dream the signal systems relax and the muscles "live their own lives."

Among other factors that are considered as the causes of bruxism, we can distinguish:

• malocclusion;
• incomplete dentition;
• rejection of removable or permanent dentures;
• problems with orthopedic structures;
• misplaced seals.

Among the culprits are also constant overstrain, stressful situations, immaturity of the central nervous system.

Symptoms of bruxism

The main sign of involuntary contraction of the muscles of the chewing system is a distinct gnashing of teeth against each other. Such an attack that occurs in the daytime, the patient notices and tries to control. But cases that occur at night in a state of sleep can only be indicated by a nearby person. That is why people living alone often do not even suspect the presence of such a disease as bruxism.

Over time, regular bouts of involuntary teeth grinding lead to unequivocal problems in the oral cavity:

• inflammation of the gums;
• damage to the teeth;
• enamel abrasion;
• violation of the blood flow of soft tissues;
• pain, especially in the morning;
• chewing discomfort.

Statistics indicate that about 15% of people suffer from this disease. However, the statistics are cunning, since no records are kept of patients living alone. More than 50% of the total number of patients suffering from bruxism are children.

The nocturnal form of bruxism can be both solitary and paroxysmal - these are manifestations of grinding, lasting from a few seconds to a minute or more, and are also repeated during sleep with different duration and intensity.

Diagnostic methods

In addition to patient complaints or eyewitness accounts of teeth grinding, a specialist needs to make a diagnosis of bruxism clinical manifestations, history, physical examination and some additional research. When examining the oral cavity, the doctor may notice characteristic signs:

• enamel damage;
• the smallest chipped teeth and other injuries;
• swelling, redness of soft tissues;
• inflammation of the periorbital space.

The course of the disease in adult patients

Most common cause, "thanks" to which bruxism develops in adults - a strong emotional experience: the death of a loved one or pet, divorce, work problems, loss of property, serious past disease and much more. Multiple dental procedures, especially those performed in short span time, also often cause bouts of teeth grinding. This includes the installation of orthopedic structures, implants, restorative therapy.

Bruxism left "unattended" can lead not only to problems in the oral cavity, but also to more serious consequences. Over time, improper stress on the joints, which is permanent in nature, causes severe muscle spasms and headaches. Absence timely assistance, adequate measures to eliminate nervous strain leads to severe stress. There are cases of suicidal attempts against the background of advanced bruxism. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of this disease, a full-time dentist consultation will not be superfluous.

Children's bruxism

More than 50% of all identified cases of bruxism occur in children. It is believed that the disease is determined by a genetic predisposition, but strong evidence for this theory has not yet been found. Also, some experts suggest that teeth grinding is rudimentary in nature, inherited from ancestors who sharpened their teeth in this way. Stress as a trigger children's bruxism, is also considered, but this assumption is more illusory the younger the child.

Since in the vast majority of cases, teeth grinding at a young age goes away on its own, the question of how to treat bruxism in children most often does not arise. However, if help is still required, as in the case of adult patients, doctors have a whole arsenal of tools that relax the masticatory muscles. Therapy may include, both in a complex and separately:

• medical assistance;
• principles of psychological influence;
• installation of special orthopedic structures.

The tactics of therapy is always determined by the dentist and only he. Depending on the nature of the course of bruxism, the duration of the disease and the factors that caused it, the specialist prescribes medications, gives recommendations regarding the day and night regimen, uses dental appliances if necessary, and writes out a referral for psychological assistance.

Since nervous experiences, stress and instability psycho-emotional state considered to be the main triggers of bruxism, treatment in adults is primarily aimed at stabilizing the CNS and relaxing the muscular system through psychotherapy techniques. In many cases, awareness of the problem, acceptance of it as a given, and calm search for ways to solve it help reduce the patient's anxiety level and stimulate the ability to independently cope with emerging obstacles.

Therefore, it is recommended to carefully control your behavior during wakefulness, especially in situations associated with stressful conditions: for example, having received unpleasant news or getting angry, do not clench your teeth, do not grind them, do not try to close your experiences in this way.

Often as additional measures impact, specialists together with the patient draw up a plan of measures, which includes the most uniform and calm classes:

• leisurely walks;
• reading literature;
• baths with the addition sea ​​salt or sedative herbs;
• massage and spa treatments;
• listening to musical compositions in the style of "sounds of nature".

The complex of such activities may include everything that has a calming and relaxing effect on the patient.

However, if a person manages to control the daytime manifestations of gnashing, then nighttime attacks are ignored. To reduce the number and duration of contractions during sleep, many doctors recommend that the joints and muscles be loaded as much as possible during the day. For example, use chewing gum, which must be chewed several times a day, with particular emphasis on jaw fatigue before bedtime. And the rest of the time, it is desirable to minimally strain the muscles of the face and not clench the jaw unnecessarily, with the exception of eating. Also positive impact provides warmth: compresses on the cheekbones help to relax the muscles.

Concerning drug therapy, then to relieve tension and anxiety of patients, various sedatives, antidepressants. In case of detection of a deficiency of any microelement, vitamin complexes and diets. In the presence of dental disorders are used available methods treatment. To relax the chewing muscles, special exercises are used.

With repeated night grindings, there is a huge load on the joints and dentition, which causes violations of the integrity of the enamel and provokes the appearance of pain when chewing food. In such cases, a mouthguard with bruxism will get rid of the problem of teeth grinding. The cap is put on during sleep and prevents tight closure of the jaws during involuntary contractions of the muscles, which has a positive effect on the condition of the teeth and soft tissues.

Perhaps this is the most effective remedy on this moment. Dentists first recommend to their patients correct solution in getting rid of gnashing of teeth. So how do you get rid of it? A bruxism mouth guard is an ideal design in treatment. Products are made strictly individually for each patient according to the casts taken from safe materials - bioplastic and biosilicone.

With regard to the prevention of bruxism, it is recommended to avoid stressful conditions, monitor your behavior in case of nervous experiences, take a calmer attitude to daily problems and not neglect the help of psychotherapists. In case of revealing signs of involuntary contraction of the masticatory muscles in oneself or close people, it is advisable to contact dentistry as soon as possible.