Teeth Grinding(Bruxism) Can Give You A Headache

Teeth Grinding(Bruxism) Can Give You A HeadacheDoes your wife or partner complain, every morning, about your teeth grinding or teeth clenching keeping her awake? The very fact that your wife complained about it keeping her awake made you aware about your habit. It is always the person sleeping at the side of you who will be able to tell you.This habit of grinding and clenching the teeth is known as bruxism.Here, people with irregular or infrequent bruxism do no get affected as much. It does not really show the damage done to the jaws and teeth. It is those who are habitual grinders who get affected. In severe cases it can also damage one’s jaw or hearing.The question arises as to how would one know if he or she grinds or clenches their teeth? If detected how bruxism can be treated? It has been studied that some people make a noise when grinding their teeth thus making it detectable while some do not make a single sound making it hard to detect.There are two ways one can know if they have bruxism, first is when your partner complains about it and second is when after a night’s sleep you get up with an ache in your jaws or a slight, persistent headache. Whatever the case, a checkup by the dentist is pertinent.Consequences of teeth grinding or clenching:There are many outcomes to teeth grinding two of which are mentioned above:Severe toothacheSensitive to biting foodSensitive to hot or cold foodIn advanced cases the teeth can break or result in fracturesTooth lossPrecaution And TreatmentPeople visiting the dentist usually complain of severe toothache. To stop this toothache the very habit has to be put to an end. Otherwise there are other factors that could cause it and have to be contained:Lower stress and relax dailyReduce alcohol consumption and intake of caffeineIf grinding becomes a problem at night ask your dentist to recommend a nightguardIf your dentist says it is caused because of irregular bite, he would suggest teeth alignment.Causes and Treatment of Malocclusion of Teethby ADMIN on JUNE 4, 2009Malocclusion is more commonly known as crowded teeth, cross bite, overbite, under bite, or open bite. It is simply the misalignment of teeth. It is a common problem seen in most people at least to some degree.How to identify MalocclusionEven though most people do not have perfect alignment of their teeth, for some, the misalignment causes other more noticeable problems. A dentist should be consulted if any of the following symptoms occur together with poor alignment of teeth, in order to effect a proper diagnosis and treatment of Malocclusion.pain arising from pressure to the jawproblems in speech and ability to eatbreathing through the mouthdifficulty in keeping the lips closedTypes of MalocclusionIn 1899, Edward Angel identified three different categories of Malocclusion:Class I Malocclusion : This is the more widespread type of Malocclusion. In this type, the first molars are normal. However the other teeth are affected by problems in spacing, crowding, and over/ under eruption.Class II Malocclusion : In this type of Malocclusion the upper molars significantly overlap the bottom teeth.Class III Malocclusion : This is the inverse of class II where the lower jaw protrudes more than the upper, causing the bottom front teeth to overlap the upper onesCauses of MalocclusionMalocclusion can either be inherited from parents or acquired through bad habits:Inherited Malocclusion : This is mostly the case. This type of Malocclusion is evident in there being less or more teeth, or space between the teeth, than appropriate. It is caused by irregular jaw size or shape or by unusual formations like cleft palates.Acquired Malocclusion : A major cause of acquired Malocclusion is bad habits. The bad habits that children mostly succumb to, such as thumb/ finger sucking or tongue thrusting, are causes of Malocclusion. As such, monitoring of such bad habits by the parents and controlling the same can easily prevent this type of Malocclusion occurring.Treatment of MalocclusionUse of BracesMalocclusion is commonly treated by using dental braces. The constant and gently pressure provided by braces will enable teeth straightening and help push teeth back to their correct position.Braces consist of brackets that are fixed to the teeth, and wires that connect the brackets. Since the braces cannot be removed, extra attention should be paid in keeping the teeth clean and getting rid of food particles that are likely to get stuck in the braces.Removal of teethThis will help in instances of overcrowding, where it would make room for the other teeth to move to the correct position.Reshaping, and bonding or capping teethThis will treat rough or irregular teeth removing resistance in forming a proper bite.SurgeryRequirement of surgery is rare. Surgery can be used to reshape the jaw or to stabilize the jaw bone through wires, plates or screws where required.Malocclusion can be treated in the majority of cases. Consulting a dentist early when Malocclusion is suspected can ensure the proper and effective treatment which would help in maintaining proper dental health.