Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry

What is bruxism? Bruxism is the medical term for grinding, gnashing or clenching your teeth. This condition affects both kids and adults. Some people with bruxism unconsciously clench their teeth together during the day, often when they feel anxious or tense.- called as bruxomania Most kids who have bruxism — and some adults with the condition — grind or gnash their teeth during sleep, usually in the early part of the night. This is called sleep bruxism. Som

Why Bruxism should be treated? In most cases, bruxism is mild and may not even require treatment. However, it can be frequent and violent and can lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other problems. Unfortunately, people with sleep bruxism usually aren't aware of the habit, so they aren't diagnosed with the condition until complications occur. That's why it's important to know the signs and symptoms of bruxism and to seek regular dental care.

Causes Doctors don't completely understand the causes of bruxism. In some adults, abnormal alignment of upper and lower teeth (malocclusion) may contribute to the problem. More often, psychological factors cause bruxism, including: Anxiety, stress or tension Suppressed anger or frustration Aggressive, competitive or hyperactive personality type

In children, bruxism may be related to growth and development. Some researchers think children brux because their top and bottom teeth don't fit together comfortably. Others believe that children grind their teeth because of tension, anger, allergy problems, or as a response to pain from an earache or teething.

Bruxism occurs in up to 30 percent of children, often around the ages of 5 and 6. It's particularly common in children with cerebral palsy or severe mental retardation. But most children outgrow bruxism before they get their adult teeth.

In some cases, bruxism is n't caused by stress or dental problems. It can be a complication of another disorder, such as Huntington's disease or Parkinson's disease. It can also be an uncommon side effect of some psychiatric medications including antidepressants.

Signs and symptoms Teeth grinding or clenching, which may be loud enough to wake your sleep partner Teeth that are worn down, flattened or chipped Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inside of your tooth, Increased tooth sensitivity Jaw pain or tightness in your jaw muscles

Earache — because of violent jaw muscle contractions, not a problem with your ear Dull morning headache Chronic facial pain Chewed tissue on the inside of your cheek

Stress:- Increased anxiety or stress can lead to teeth grinding. So can anger and frustration. Age:- Bruxism is common in young children, but usually goes away by age 10. In adults, the condition is common between the late teen years and the 40s. It tends to decrease with older age. Caffeine, nicotine and other drugs. Using caffeine, tobacco, cocaine or amphetamines seems to increase the risk of bruxism. Risk factors

Screening and diagnosis Physical signs of bruxism:- unusual wear and tear on your teeth Broken dental restorations and tooth sensitivity. stress level, general dental health, daily medications Dentist may also ask your roommate or bed partner about sleep habits, especially about any unusual grinding sounds heard during the night.

Checking for tenderness in jaw muscles Obvious dental abnormalities, such as broken or missing teeth or poor tooth alignment. Dentist will also inspect teeth, the underlying bone and the inside of cheeks for damage caused by bruxism. He or she may make a series of X-rays of your mouth and jaw.

When to seek medical advice Because bruxism often goes unnoticed, be aware of its signs and symptoms. If you have worn teeth or pain in your jaw, face or ear. Consult your doctor or dentist if your bed partner complains that you make a grinding noise while you sleep.

Complications In most cases, bruxism doesn't cause serious complications. But severe bruxism may lead to: Damage to your teeth or jaw Tension-type headaches Facial pain Temporomandibular disorders — which occur in the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), located just in front of your ears and felt when opening and closing your mouth

Treatment In many cases, no treatment is necessary. Many kids outgrow bruxism without special treatment, and many adults don't brux badly enough to require therapy. However, if the problem is severe, treatment options include:

1) Stress management. If you grind your teeth because of stress, you may be able to prevent the problem with professional counseling that promote relaxation, such as exercise and meditation. If your child grinds his or her teeth because of tension or fear, it may help to talk about your child's fears just before bed or to help your child relax with a warm bath or a favorite book

2) Dental approaches. Mouth guard or protective dental appliance (splint) to prevent damage to your teeth. Dentist can make a custom mouth guard to fit mouth. Over-the-counter mouth guards are available and they're less expensive than custom guards, but they generally don't fit well and can dislodge during bruxing.

If bruxism seems to stem from dental problems, dentist may also correct misaligned teeth. In severe cases — when tooth wear has led to sensitivity or the inability to chew properly — your dentist may need to use overlays or crowns to entirely reshape the chewing surfaces of your teeth.

3) Behavior therapy. Once you discover that you have bruxism, you may be able to change the behavior by practicing proper mouth and jaw position. “Concentrate on resting your tongue upward with your teeth apart and your lips closed. This should keep your teeth from grinding and your jaw from clenching.”

4) Biofeedback Therapist applies electrical sensors to different parts of your body. These sensors monitor your body's physiological responses to stress — such as teeth grinding — and then feed the information back to you via auditory and visual cues (beeping sound or a flashing light). With this feedback, you'll start to associate teeth grinding or clenching with stress and learn to change your behavior.

5)Medications. Medications aren't very effective for treatment of bruxism. Doctor may suggest taking a muscle relaxant before bedtime. If you develop bruxism as a side effect of an antidepressant medication, your doctor may change your medication or prescribe another medication to counteract your bruxism. Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections may help some people with severe bruxism that hasn't responded to other treatments.

Self-care These self-care steps may prevent or help treat bruxism: Limit alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Reduce stress. Keeping your life stresses to a minimum Consult your sleep partner- ask him or her to be aware of any grinding or clicking sounds that you might make while sleeping. Have regular dental examinations.

CLINICAL PERIDONTOLOGY- CARRANZA TEXT BOOK OF ORAL PATHOLOGY- SHAFER’S;PURKAIT;NEVILL TEXT BOOK OF ORAL MEDICINE- BURKETTE BIBLIOGRAPHY

That’s all………….!!!! Wish u a stress free life……. THANK YOU……………!!!