Bruxism is the act of clenching or gnashing the teeth unconsciously at night, although it can also occur during the day.
The causes are: type of diet, alignment of teeth, sleep habits, posture, stress or anxiety.
It presents with pain in the jaw, ear or head, anxiety, tension, insomnia, changes in the sensitivity of the mouth and eating disorders. Sometimes, it does not present symptoms so it becomes more difficult to diagnose. For this, the specialist will make a dental examination and a radiological study if required.
The treatment is based on the use of splints or dental protectors, avoiding sweet or hard foods, relaxation exercises, massaging the area, resting the right amount of hours, using orthodontics and surgery as a last resort.
If you have trouble eating and/or opening your mouth properly, go to a dentist to rule this condition out.
- R.E. Frugone, C. Rodríguez. Bruxismo. Av Odontoestomatol. 2003. 19(3):123-130
- MedlinePlus. Rockville. 2017. Bruxismo; [citado el 21 de junio de 2017]. Disponible en: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/001413.htm2.
- CuidatePlus. Madrid. 2017. Bruxismo; [citado el 21 de junio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.cuidateplus.com/enfermedades/psiquiatricas/bruxismo.html
- UpToDate [Internet]. Waltham. 2017. Sleep-related bruxism (tooth grinding); [citado el 27 de junio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/sleep-related-bruxism-tooth-grinding?source=search_result&search=bruxismo&selectedTitle=1~29
