Are you grinding your teeth down?
Are you grinding your teeth down? A leading dentist tells how to spot the signs of the painful condition, why people are driven to it and how to eliminate the hab i t . According to Basingstokebased Dr. Milad Shadrooh, the habit is all too common and could be responsible for headaches, migraines and shoulder pain. Usually done unconsciously at night, people should look out for the development of a square jaw as their muscles work over time while they sleep.
The typically nocturnal habit can also cause teeth to flatten, chip and cut the gums. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the evenings, wearing mouth guards in bed and even having botox could help rid sufferers of their affliction. In a piece for Get The Gloss, Dr. Shadrooh discusses what teeth grinding is and what can be done about it.
The increasing prevalence of teeth grinding is something that Dr. Milad Shadrooh is not only seeing on a regular basis in his practice, but also one he himself has experienced.
What is teeth grinding?
Dr. Shadrooh said: ' The technical term for teeth grinding is bruxism, and it's the process whereby people grind their teeth together and clench their jaw very tightly.
'In isolation, and considering their size, the jaw muscles are probably the strongest in the body, and if you think about the fact that when we grind our teeth, we can exert up to 120 per cent of the maximum force we can apply during the day for activities such as eating, you can see why it could cause quite significant damage.'
The symptoms
Dr. Shadrooh said: 'As pro- fessionals, we can identify signs of tooth grinding both externally and internally. Looking at a patient, hypertrophic (enlarged) jaw muscles are often an indicator. This means that the jaw has a more squared shape. When we grind our teeth, we're essentially giving our jaw muscle a workout, and therefore it gets bigger. If you look at Formula One drivers, this is often the case. The extreme G force that they endure when they're driving means that they clench their jaw a lot, and as time goes on they develop a more pronounced, squared jaw.
' Internal signs include tooth wear - the canines flatten out, and the incisor teeth are often chipped, or uniformly flat. Teeth fractures are another sign, and are especially common in teeth that have fillings, as the force involved in teeth grinding causes tiny breaks in brittle teeth. Tiny lines in teeth are also often telling of tooth grinding, and a patient will often have tooth marks or indentations in their cheeks. There's also the pain to consider - tooth grinding can trigger not only tooth sensitivity and jaw pain but migraines, tensions headaches and shoulder pain.
Despite the many manifestations of teeth grinding, it's possible that you're doing it without realising. Dr. Shadrooh said: 'Teeth grinding is generally a nocturnal habit, but a lot of people do it during the day too without noticing. They could be sitting at their desk, waiting in traffic or just going about their business, but all the while clenching their jaw and grinding their teeth.'
Not so silent
Dr. Shadrooh said: ' More often you're asleep when you're grinding your teeth, so you wouldn't be conscious that you're doing it, but a partner might hear it and they would tell you as the sound can be quite loud and disconcerting.
'It is important to note that just clenching your teeth together can also cause the same problems, but in that case there'd be no sound at all.'
Other tooth grinding evidence includes waking up with a sore jaw, a headache or a migraine. A dentist should be able to tell you from a glance in your mouth. Another way that teeth grinding can be diagnosed is via a trip to your GP.
The causes
Dr. Shadrooh said: 'Nobody knows the reasons why people grind their teeth, but stress is a big factor. Episodes of teeth grinding can often tally with stressful life events, for instance sitting exams, losing a job or starting a new one, trying for a baby or becoming parents, divorce... the triggers can be varied.
'Sometimes this means that teeth grinding comes and goes, but once you start teeth grinding it can become a habit - it can develop into a kind of 'release' for the brain. This means that even if a patient is retired and living a chilled lifestyle, the teeth grinding continues.'
' Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea have a strong association with teeth grinding too. In fact, sleep problems are commonly related to teeth grinding, as when we grind our teeth our brain is still active and we don't go through REM sleep, the kind that lets our brain switch off. As such, people who grind their teeth wake up feeling groggy and it can have an impact on cognitive activity.
' In this case getting the right treatment can result in a dramatic improvement in your quality of life. As for children, teeth grinding normally goes away by itself. It can be associated with teething, but usually kids grow out of it. It's in adults that we see the biggest problems.'
The solutions
Dr. Shadrooh said: 'The initial step to stopping it is identifying it. If you suspect you're grinding your teeth, take a trip to your dentist to discuss your options. The first port of call is normally a dental splint or night guard. These are made of custom moulded plastic and keep teeth apart, plus they protect teeth as you grind.
The temporary measures
While not treatment per se, a few day- to- day tweaks or medications can help alleviate teeth grinding. 'Some people find relaxation techniques helpful, other people swear by holistic treatments such as acupuncture, particularly if they suffer from jaw spasms. Anti-inflammatory medication is useful for temporarily easing pain too.