One in three people suffer from bruxism. Untreated, bruxism can lead to facial pain and teeth damage. People unintentionally bite down hard at inappropriate time such as in their sleep or while in deep concentration. Bruxism may be more noticeable during time of stress, anger or pain. Personality types may also be associated with bruxism such as highly competitive or agressive people.
Bruxism is often undiagnosed until it's too late because people don't realize they have the habit. Physical signs of bruxism may indicate that the habit has been ongoing for a prolonged period of time. Therapy may be simply becoming aware of the problem and changing behavior. For some people, a plastic mouth appliance is needed to absorb the force of biting. This appliance, commonly known as a nightguard, is usually worn during sleep. It can prevent future damage to the teeth and helps change the patient's destructive behavior. Biofeedback is another method used on daytime grinders by using electronic instruments to measure muscle activity and to teach patients how to reduce muscle activity when the biting force becomes too great.
What are the signs of bruxism?
- Tips of the teeth look flat
- Extreme sensitivity due to the inside of the tooth being exposed from grinding
- Jaw pain due to popping and clicking of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
- Tongue and cheek indentations
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