Bruxism, the habitual clenching and grinding of the teeth, reportedly affects as many as one in every four adults. While the condition is not considered life-threatening, bruxism can cause permanent damage to the teeth.
Risk Factors
Bruxism, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is thought to be primarily stress induced. Other risk factors include depression, sleeping habits, posture, diet and misalignment of the teeth.
Symptoms
The NIH reports that bruxism is known to cause earache, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, insomnia, headache, soreness in the jaw and damage to the teeth.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of bruxism is generally made based on patient complaint rather than test results. Oftentimes, patients who are unaware of the cause of soreness of the jaw and TMJ problems are ultimately diagnosed with sleep bruxism.
Treatment
The most common treatment for bruxism is the use of mouth guards or splints to prevent the grinding and clenching of the teeth during sleep. For patients with misaligned teeth, splint therapy is commonly followed by orthodontic surgery. For patients with stress, anxiety and depressive disorders, alternative therapies such as hypnosis, biofeedback and psychotherapy may be used.
Botox?
Surprisingly, new treatments for bruxism are being considered using botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox.
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