Bruxism( odontism, the phenomenon of Carolini) is a dental scraping arising from an involuntary spasm of chewing muscles and the closing of jaws. Usually, attacks occur at night, causing damage to tooth enamel, problems with the gums and jaw joints. The disease affects 50% of children under 7 years and about 10-15% of adults.
- Causes of
- Symptoms of
- Diagnosis of
- Treatment of
- in children
- Treatment of folk remedies
- Prevention of
Causes of
The factors that provoke the appearance of bruxism are not exactly defined, but there are several hypotheses on this:
- stressful situations, psychological stresses and negative emotions provokeanxiety, stress and an excited state before going to bed;
- violation of the depth of sleep - uncontrolled muscle spasm often adjoins nightmares, somnambulism, snoring, enuresis;
- diseases of the nervous system - for example, bruxism may be a sign of predisposition to epilepsy, evidence of trigeminal nerve damage, accompany Parkinson's disease;
- malocclusion, abnormality of teeth, errors in dental treatment( poor quality installation of braces, dentures, seals);
- pathology of the facial skeleton and chronic inflammation of the mandibular joint;
- trauma, brain tumor;
- improper diet, deficiency of vitamins;
- bad habits;
- use of antidepressants, hypnotics;
- hereditary predisposition.
The common belief that worms can be the cause of the disease has no scientific confirmation, although the presence of parasites can cause a lack of vitamin B, responsible for the stability of the psyche. Even an absolutely healthy person can sometimes be prone to bouts of bruxism.
to table of contents ^Symptoms of
Nighttime bruxism often goes unnoticed by a person, it can be indicated by close people or by indirect symptoms.
The manifestations of the disease are:
- low sounds resembling gnashing or clicking;
- single or multiple seizures during the night lasting from a few seconds to minutes;
- changes in breathing, pulse and blood pressure during episodes;
- appearance in the morning of toothaches, especially when chewing;
- drowsiness during the day;
- depressive state, sleep disorder;
- abnormal abrasion of teeth, cracks and chips of enamel, fractures of crowns, prolapsed fillings;
- gum bleeding, loosening and loss of teeth;
- violation of the coordinated work of the temporomandibular joint - pain in the head, temples, neck, limiting the amplitude of opening the mouth with joined clicks, problems with the vestibular apparatus, pain in the ears, excessive sensitivity of the eyes;
- permanent trauma of the mucous membrane can lead to the formation of gingivitis, flat red lichen, fibroid of the mouth, abrasions under dentures, scalloped tongue.
Diagnosis
Usually bruxiomans, whose attacks occur during the day, know about their disease and try to fight it. Confirm the presence of nocturnal bruxism is helped by a dental examination and a special kapa - brookscheker, made from the patient's teeth. The cape is worn for the night, and then given to the doctor, the prints on it show the nature of the injuries and places of the greatest burden on the teeth.
It is also possible to establish the diagnosis with polysomnography - a person's examination during sleep, which registers a very specific picture of spasmodic contraction of the masticatory muscles, and also can exclude( or confirm) epilepsy as a factor provoking bruxism.
Early diagnosis contributes to a speedy recovery. However, often to identify the causes of the disease, except for the dentist and somnologist, it is necessary to involve a neurologist, a psychotherapist and other specialists.
to table of contents ^Treatment of
Elimination of dental rattling in adulthood is quite a challenge. Therapy is prescribed individually, taking into account the causes and course of the disease. One willpower to defeat bruxism is not enough, more serious measures are needed:
- Medication - aimed at normalizing the nervous system and the tone of the masticatory muscles. Includes the appointment of antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics, calcium and magnesium preparations, B vitamins, and sometimes injections of botulinum toxin( Botox).
- Psychotherapy - helps to find and understand a problem that worries, learn to cope with stress and difficult life situations. During special trainings, relaxation techniques are taught.
- Physiotherapy - involves the laser impact on painful points, relaxation procedures in the form of massages and baths, moist warm compresses on the jaw area, special exercises for relaxing the muscles in the daytime and load them before bed.
- Dental and orthodontic treatment - involves the elimination of caries, the replacement of deformed crowns and seals, the installation of prostheses or implants, correction of bite with the help of bracket systems.
- Hardware correction - the use during the sleep of special plastic or silicone caps( tires) that do not allow the teeth to close, which prevents their injury and reduces the load on the joints of the jaw. In severe cases, capes are recommended to be worn during the day.
Children
Babies are very often prone to bouts of bruxism, but with age, its manifestations decrease and disappear. Overcome night gnashing of teeth in a child will help:
- Adenoid check - their presence significantly increases the possibility of the appearance of bruxism.
- With cutting teeth - elimination of irritation and pain in the gums with the help of lubrication with special gels.
- Restriction of stressful situations - even minor events can affect the child's psyche, as well as an excess of positive emotions. It is necessary to dose the amount of impressions of the child, pay attention to his psychological state.
- Elimination of fatigue - should be early put the child to sleep, before going to sleep play quiet games, read books, discuss the past day.
- Use of special children's tires( trainers) for wearing at night.
- Tooth system in children is in the making, long bouts of bruxism can lead to serious defects in the dentition and create problems in adulthood.
Treatment with folk remedies
The soothing and pain relieving methods help to overcome the disease:
- facial massage - it is useful for relaxing facial muscles, it can be done by yourself;
- lotion - a towel soaked in warm water or decoction of herbs, applied to the cheekbones several times a day;
- lubricating the neck and jaw areas with a mixture of olive oil and a few drops of valerian oil;
- baths with soothing herbs( valerian, oregano, mint, thyme) and essential oils( bergamot, lavender, fir, cedar, ylang-ylang) - take 15-20 minutes just before bedtime;
- herbal decoctions - for relaxation use mint, lemon balm, chamomile, green tea, lime blossom, infusion of valerian root;
- hot milk with turmeric and honey - promotes a deeper and quiet sleep.
Prevention
To prevent the development of bruxism, you can follow certain rules:
- to avoid excessive psychological stress and overexcitation;
- to close the teeth only while eating, in a calm state of the jaws should not touch;
- to give teeth "tired" before going to bed - to eat food that requires long chewing( apples, carrots, gum);
- eat right, getting enough vitamins and minerals;
- not take at night foods that excite the nervous system - coffee, tea, chocolate;
- be able to relax - listen to music, read books, walk more often, take relaxing baths, drink herbal teas, practice meditation or yoga;
- to abandon bad habits;
- visit the dentist regularly.