What is Bruxism?

“Bruxism” is the medical term for excessive tooth grinding or jaw clenching. Bruxism is a relatively common problem in Melville, with a nationwide prevalence rate of around 8-31% of the general population. Bruxism can occur either during sleep, or while the person is awake. Often bruxism occurs largely unconsciously, but although the person may not realize that they’re grinding or clenching their jaw, it can cause jaw problems and dental problems. The underlying causes of bruxism are variable, and not yet entirely understood; it is thought that bruxism during sleep occurs for different reasons than bruxism while awake. 

Sleep Bruxism versus Awake Bruxism 

Bruxism in Melville is often divided into two main subtypes: sleep bruxism and awake bruxism. These two types are thought to have different causes, with sleep bruxism generally classified as a sleep disorder. Sleep bruxism occurs at night while the person is asleep, and generally involves both jaw clenching and tooth grinding movements. The pain is often worst in the morning. It occurs equally in both males and females, and there is some evidence that this trait is heritable. Awake bruxism occurs for different reasons than sleep bruxism, and is more likely to be associated with psychological stress. Awake bruxism is more likely to involve clenching than grinding, although both can occur, and it tends to worsen over the course of the day. Awake bruxism is more common than sleep bruxism overall, although it is more likely to occur in females than in males. 

Symptoms of Bruxism 

Many people with bruxism in Melville are unaware of the problem until symptoms of bruxism, including jaw pain and dental problems, become apparent. Some of the common symptoms of bruxism, including both the nocturnal and waking varieties, include:

·         Excessive tooth wear, often flattening of the biting surface and notches around the “neck” of the teeth at the gumline.

·         Tooth fractures

·         Hypersensitive teeth; this effect is caused when dentin and enamel become worn away

·         Inflammation of the periodontal ligament, the tissue connecting the teeth and gums; this causes soreness and can cause the teeth to become loosened over time

·         Increase in the size of the jaw muscles as a result of the clenching

·         Pain and fatigue in the jaw muscles

·         Pain or tenderness in the temporomandibular joints

·         Headaches, often localized at the temples

  

Treatments for Bruxism in Melville 

Treatments for bruxism in Melville generally depend on whether the bruxism occurs during sleep or during wakefulness. Awake bruxism often has psychosocial underpinnings, such as stress or an anxiety disorder. Addressing these issues with psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or neurofeedback therapy can reduce the bruxism by alleviating the stress that causes it. Neurofeedback therapy, a form of biofeedback using EEG measurements of brainwave activity, is a safe and noninvasive treatment for anxiety available in Melville through BrainCore New York. Bruxism during sleep appears to be associated with neurotransmitter abnormalities. For sleep bruxism, researchers have investigated drugs including clonazepam, a benzodiazepine; levodopa, a dopaminergic drug usually used to treat Parkinson’s disease; clonidine, a sympatholytic usually used for ADHD and hypertension; L-typtophan, a serotonin precursor molecule; and several others. None of the research into pharmaceuticals for sleep bruxism has yet produced enough evidence to prove that it is a safe or effective treatment, however. Symptoms secondary to the bruxism, often involving tooth wear, are generally addressed by dentists and orthodontists in Melville. 

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: MELVILLE, NY