Bruxism: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Bruxism is a condition that consists of squeezing the muscles of the jaw and pressing the teeth together for no functional reason. This is a parafunctional unconscious habit that takes place in the temporomandibular joints, which are the joints that attach the jaw to the skull.

There is not a specific cause for this condition, however, some genetic, psychological and neurophysiological factors have been determined among its most relevant causes. Anxiety and stress are a few of the most known causes. This happens because squeezing the teeth and the jaw is a defence mechanism of the body to reduce cortisol, also known as the primary stress hormone. Additionally, there is also a correlation between the alteration of dopamine neurotransmission, for this reason, other factors such as high consumption of sugar, screen usage, psychoactive drugs and ADHD influence the presence of bruxism.

In the same way, there are some physical conditions that can also help originate bruxism. These include mainly sleep-related issues such as snoring, sleep apnea and sleep paralysis. 

Symptoms 

These are the most common symptoms of bruxism:

• Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles
• Squeezing the teeth, awake or while sleeping.
• Occasional swelling on the jaw.
• A sensation of stiffness and soreness in the jaw area.
• Wearing of the teeth. This also causes hypersensitivity. In some cases, there could be breakage.
• Muscle soreness in the face, neck, ears and higher back.
• Discomfort in the ears.
• Muscular fatigue.

Bruxism can have many negative effects on different aspects of our health. Physically it can cause teeth deformations and muscular issues, affecting the balance of the temporomandibular joints and subsequently causing problems that directly affect our bite and the muscles around the jaw. These affections can get more severe in the long term. 

Treatment

After diagnosing bruxism and determining how severe it is, the doctor will recommend a treatment. In many cases, the treatment includes reducing or preventing what causes it. For example, if it is caused by anxiety, the doctor might prescribe medication or recommend therapy and stress control techniques to treat the anxiety.

A common treatment is the use of a discharge splint for sleeping. This will reduce muscle hyperactivity by repositioning the joints and relaxing the jaw muscles progressively.

In more severe cases, it will be necessary to have surgery to correct and restore the damage caused by grinding the teeth. This will also alleviate the symptoms.

For bruxism patients, it is recommended to avoid eating foods that can be hard to bite, hydrate well during the day and have a good sleeping schedule. In many cases, patients have been able to reduce bruxism only by working on creating behaviours that help them relax more and avoid getting stressed.

Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119