Bruxism is a medical condition wherein you grind or clench your teeth consciously or subconsciously. In case you did not know, some people clench their teeth even when asleep. It is called sleep bruxism. If you grind your teeth subconsciously during the night, you probably have other sleep-related disorders, such as sleep apnea or snoring. 

While it may not be an alarming issue initially, with time, you might start feeling your jaw sore or realize you have loose teeth or eroded enamel. And that happens because grinding your teeth causes the wearing off of the outermost layer. If you stay in southeast Canada, a Burlington, Ontario family dentist will provide you with the best dental consultation for you and your loved ones.

Why is bruxism caused?

Before you jump to treatment, you may want to know what exactly is causing certain symptoms in you that indicate bruxism. You can try to resolve these issues by yourself if you find out what has been causing them.

• In considerable cases of bruxism, it is a genetically inherited condition. So, you need not blame yourself in any case!
• As mentioned earlier, bruxism has been linked with other sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
• Stress and anxiety can be triggering points for bruxism. If you notice yourself grinding your teeth when you get tensed, it probably means the stress is causing it.
• Sometimes, the teeth might be misaligned, and they rub each other every time you speak, close, or open your mouth.
• Sometimes, your medications might be the reason. Some medicines cause bruxism as a side effect.

Treatment options available

There are a few treatment options that you can consider to rid yourself of this condition.

• If you suffer from sleep bruxism, you can get over-the-counter mouthguards from a medical store to reduce the grinding of your teeth and hence the consequences.
• In case your teeth are misaligned, you can get braces to realign them to prevent malocclusion. You can also get dental procedures to correct the alignment of teeth.
• If the condition is caused due to stress or anxiety in you, you need to visit a therapist or find ways to overcome your anxiety.
• In severe cases, your dentist may prescribe muscle relaxants and anxiety-reducing medications to relieve bruxism symptoms temporarily but can be used only for the short term.
• Improving sleep-related disorders like sleep apnea can positively impact sleep bruxism.
• Treating an underlying medical condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, may improve bruxism.

By now, you might be smart enough to decide what will get you the best result. Nevertheless, it is always advisable that you visit your dentist regularly to avoid the symptoms overall.