For many children that grew up in the 1980s, the concept of teeth gnashing likely evokes images of King Max from “Where the Wild Things Are”. Surprisingly enough, however, many of us gnash our teeth on a daily or nightly basis. In case you still aren’t exactly sure what this means, gnashing teeth means grinding them together, usually out of frustration or anger. In the medical world, teeth grinding is better known as bruxism, which makes it sound like something akin to an early 20th century school of political philosophy, rather than a medical condition.
Almost everyone will grind his or her teeth at some point, and up to 25 percent of the population will suffer from bruxism severe enough to be symptomatic. While early-morning headaches or jaw soreness may arouse suspicion in some unlucky sufferers, oftentimes the damage to teeth becomes advanced before bruxism is properly diagnosed.
What’s the cause of this daily grind? While bruxism has been linked to conditions such as anxiety, digestive problems and even missing teeth, the exact etiology of teeth grinding is hotly contested and actively researched. Specifically, scientists have speculated that daytime bruxism is more likely related to dental issues, whereas abnormal sleep patterns may cause nighttime bruxism. Other causes, such as smoking, caffeine intake and alcohol intoxication have been suggested as contributing factors as well. Among children, up to 30 percent grind their teeth, with jaw development or teeth-cutting often to blame. This would explain why most of these children seem to grow out of the condition. Less commonly, bruxism can be a side-effect of medication or a symptom of a disease process such as Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to serious dental damage (fractured teeth, anyone?), bruxism can cause chronic headaches, pain and even arthritis of the temporomandibular joint because of the repeated jaw-clenching that accompanies bruxism. Thus, early detection and treatment are essential to prevent permanent damage. Face it, dentures aren’t hot.
Diagnosing bruxism can be done in several ways. If you are a nighttime offender, your bed partner — should you have one — can probably tell you if you grind your teeth. It’s not a sound that is easily missed or usually appreciated. If you sleep solo, your dentist should be able to tell you whether or not you grind your teeth, based on the pattern of wear-and-tear on your teeth, because several distinct processes can cause dental erosion. Regular dental check-ups are a wise idea to begin with, and even more so if you have any reason to believe you might be grinding your teeth.
Many options are available for treating bruxism. Although the link between grinding and aggravating factors — such as stress — has not been completely elucidated, decreasing stress, caffeine intake and alcohol use will positively impact your health and may help get rid of bruxism to boot. When immediate intervention is necessary, mouthguards and splints are the treatments of choice. Even though they’re not the most cosmetically appealing option, mouthguards begin working immediately and are extremely effective. For the more aesthetically-minded bruxer, Botox injections can weaken the chewing muscles to a happy medium, so that you won’t grind your teeth but can still chew solid food — always a plus. Various biofeedback devices on the market promise to alleviate grinding and could possibly help decrease daytime bruxism by training the jaw muscles to relax. These apparatuses, however, have met with mixed results and can be quite expensive.
In the end, wearing a mouthguard at night may not seem like the most glamorous option, but it will undoubtedly save you many headaches and prolong the life of your pearly whites. Plus, your bed partner will thank you, and that’s always a good thing.
Emily Graham is a University Medical student. She can be reached at e.graham@cavalierdaily.com.
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