Signs and Symptoms of Bruxism

Grinding and clenching your teeth creates jaw problems, headaches, and can even break your teeth. You should know what the symptoms of bruxism are, signs you have it, and what it is. If you notice you have more headaches, chipped teeth or tooth that’s sensitive, you might be suffering from bruxism. Bruxism is a condition where you grind your teeth, or clench them, which can lead to issues down the line. If you do this at night, it could also become a major problem, so let’s go over this. 

The Symptoms 

The symptoms are pretty much the same during the day as they are during sleep, but it’s more common during sleep. The most common signs include: 

• Increased sensitivity of the teeth due to less enamel 

• Soreness of the jaw and tight jaw muscles 

• Chipped, loose or flat teeth 

• Headaches constantly, especially near the temples  

It also does impact the oral health of people, especially since when you do this, it’s worse for you than just regularly chewing the food. Sleep bruxism usually involves the whole force of the teeth. This might lead to: 

• Teeth wearing 

• Chipped or cracked teeth, implants, and bridges 

• Loose or painful teeth.

• Sensitivity of the tooth 

• Pain in the face 

• Headaches 

The Causes 

The causes of this usually are both psychological and physical in terms of reasons. These can include the following: 

• Issues with sleep 

• Stress and other bad emotions 

• Alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine use 

• Some meds may cause this 

It’s usually found in those who also snore too, or who like to sleep talk and have issues sleeping. Some people also have this when they have anxiety, anger, and frustration, being one of the major reasons. If that’s the case, you might want to seek out a therapist. There are also lifestyle changes that cause this too. For people who have caffeine before bed, or who like to smoke or drink alcohol before bed, you’re at risk for this. However, this isn’t always a common reason.

There are also medications which cause this too. Antidepressants and other types of medications may also cause this. Huntington’s disease may also create bruxism in people.  There is also Parkinson’s, which does create bruxism too as a side effect. 

Treatment and prevention 

For a lot of people, when they have bruxism, the best way to figure out a treatment plan is to first and foremost, talk to a doctor, and let your dentist know the next time they see you. The dentist will be the first person to properly diagnose you, but if you’re seeing a doctor for headaches, it might come up there. If your bruxism has led to wear and tear, or things getting broken and fractured, then you’ll want to make sure that you also take the time to get treatment for this. A mouthguard or other type of buffer against this is a great way to relieve the damage that’s there. 

The dentist might also ask for you to get braces or other dental treatments, especially if there is a bite or some sort of misalignment that’s there, and you’ll want to do this. Alternatively, making sure that you reduce the stress that you have, and also trying to manage this in a healthy manner is another option, and you should do this. Bruxism is something that is not fun to deal with, and it can actually ruin a lot of dental fixtures. Make sure to get this fixed right away to improve your health and wellness.