Teeth Grinding
Lots of people complain about gnashing their teeth during sleep, more or less intensely; this type of teeth grinding is considered a medical condition called bruxism, and it equally affects children and adults. Teeth grinding can affect the condition of the natural enamel of the teeth allowing for the entering of the bacteria in the deep dental layers. Varying from mild to severe forms that require treatment, bruxism is not necessarily limited to night manifestations, as there are people who often gnaw their teeth at daytime too. Regular dental care and checks with a health care provider are the best ways to achieve a proper teeth condition, however, one also needs to deal with the causes that trigger teeth grinding in the first place.
What exactly is the medical explanation of teeth grinding? Most factors are of a psychological nature: stress, anxiety, improper relaxation before going to sleep, all have their share in triggering teeth grinding. Suppressed feelings such as anger or a too hyperactive personality could also be considered among the factors that cause bruxism; nevertheless, the affection remains partly unexplained in the experts' opinion. When it comes to daytime teeth grinding, this is usually caused by the improper alignment of the upper and lower teeth.
There are certain symptoms or signs by which one can realize he or she may be suffering from bruxism. Most people find out about their problem when their sleep partners are bothered by too loud teeth grinding over night. Anyway, if you've got chipped or flattened teeth, damaged enamel, increased tooth sensitivity and even pains in the jaw and ear areas, you may be suffering from bruxism. It is also said that people affected by teeth grinding also have the bad habit of biting their lips or chewing them on the inside. For children affected by bruxism, doctors believe it is the teeth growing that triggers it; the little ones are very sensitive to the discomfort caused by the fact that the top and the bottom teeth do not fit well together.
In order to better cope with teeth grinding you may try some relaxation techniques and see how you sleep afterwards; yoga and breathing exercises could be of real help. Don't rush to administrate any drugs since teeth grinding could be dealt with otherwise too, and in far more natural ways. Have a look on the Internet, or talk to a therapist about the best ways to induce a relaxation state. Most people who have listened to soothing music, used aromatherapy or taken a long relaxing bath before going to bed, have shown significant improvement in the bruxism condition.
