Ways to Treat Bruxism

Dentist may fit you with a mouth guard to wear during sleep Prescription muscle relaxants to take before bed Meditation, counseling, or exercise to reduce stress Apply warm compresses before sleep to relax the mouth Massage technique called Rolfing

Getting Help for Bruxism/ Citations

Make an appointment at The Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine:
1050 Arastradero #A, MC 5591 Palo Alto, CA 94304 (650) 723- 6601

http://sleep.stanford.edu Find more information on bruxism and other sleep disorders at these websites: http://www.end-your-sleepdeprivation.com/what-isbruxism.html http://www.beadnellfamilydentist ry.com/dental-careservices/preventative-dentalcare/ http://drperrone.com/blog/tag/br uxism/

Stop the nightly grind!

Bruxism
Sleep and Dreams 2013 By: Jackie Hanley

About Bruxism

Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw. This teeth grinding most often occurs during sleep. Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders and is categorized as a parasomnia, an undesirable physical phenomenon that occurs during sleep. Patients with severe symptoms attributed to nocturnal bruxism were likely to have more bruxism in REM sleep than the other groups. There is no gender preference for bruxism, but it becomes less common with age.

BRUXISM FACTS
30-40 million Americans brux on a nightly basis While 5-20% of Americans suffer from Bruxism, only 80% of Americans are aware they have this condition

Causes and Side Effects

Stress and anxiety are the most common causes of bruxism. Teeth grinding can also be caused by suppressed anger and frustration, malocclusion, or a complication from a disease such as Huntingtons or Parkinsons disease. In children, bruxism is usually caused by misaligned teeth, pain from teething or an earache, or allergies and outgrown by adolescence. Usually bruxism doesnt cause major complications, but there are long-term side effects of severe bruxism. These complications include damage to your teeth or jaw, tensiontype headaches, periodontal tissue damage, facial pain, and Temporomandibular disorders (felt when opening and closing the mouth).

Symptoms
Most people do not know Bruxism is the root of their pain until their dentist detects signs of jaw or tooth damage. When diagnosing bruxism, look for these symptoms: Sore jaw Dull headaches Tooth pain/ sensitivity

Loose or fractured teeth

Enamel Loss Signs of temporomandibular joint disorder Sounds associated with teeth grinding