“You grit your teeth and do the usual things.” How to recognize depression and what to do next


How is excessive tooth clenching treated?

Problems due to teeth clenching can be identified by the following signs:

  • pain in the mandibular joint;
  • restrictions on opening/closing the mouth;
  • increased wear of chewing teeth;
  • the appearance of chips on fillings;
  • clenching of teeth during maximum concentration or in moments of anger;
  • night grinding of teeth;
  • fatigue of the facial muscles when talking or chewing for a long time;
  • pain in the temples due to emotional fatigue;
  • frequent tongue biting;
  • ringing or pain in the ears;
  • sinus pain;
  • daytime sleepiness;
  • soreness of the facial muscles after waking up.

If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a neurologist and dentist to determine the causes of severe clenching of teeth and complex therapy.

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Treatment methods are selected taking into account the causes of teeth clenching. Young children do not require special treatment; usually by the age of 6-7 years the problem disappears on its own. Medicinal, psychotherapeutic, dental and physiotherapeutic techniques are applicable to adult patients.

If psychogenic factors play a role, it is important to practice relaxation and self-control. To reduce the activity of the masticatory muscles during sleep, the doctor prescribes vitamins, sedatives and mild sleeping pills. In some cases, massage and manual therapy sessions are useful.

And only after eliminating the causes of the pathology do they begin to correct aesthetic defects - eliminating wedge-shaped defects, placing fillings, crowns, veneers.

As for the prevention of increased jaw clenching, it is not difficult. It is enough just to get rid of bad habits, normalize your psycho-emotional state, learn self-massage and relaxing techniques. It is also important to treat teeth in a timely manner and monitor the health of the nervous system.

Teeth clenching

Teeth clenching is a habit that creates a constant force from one occlusal surface to another in the absence of any lateral movement. Habitual clenching does not necessarily correspond to centric occlusion. The jaw can be positioned in any direction of static load.

Thus, there may be a combination of bruxism and clenching. Clenching is carried out, as a rule, in the same repeating position and rarely changes from one period to another. The load direction can be vertical or horizontal.

The forces involved are similar to bruxism in magnitude and direction, but there are a few differences.

Diagnostics

Many clinical symptoms and signs warn of bruxism. However, signs of clenching are often less pronounced.

The forces generated during clenching are directed more vertically relative to the occlusal plane, at least in the posterior regions of the mouth. Teeth wear is unlikely.

Consequently, clenching often goes undetected during oral examination. As a result, the dentist must be more observant to diagnose this disorder.

When a patient has a dental history of muscle soreness on waking or tooth sensitivity to cold, the dentist should suspect parafunction. In the absence of tooth wear, clenching is the #1 suspect. Many clinical signs of clenching often resemble bruxism.

Tooth mobility, muscle sensitivity and hypertrophy, jaw deviation when opening the mouth, restricted opening, enamel stress lines, cervical abfraction, material fatigue (enamel, pitted enamel, porcelain or implant components) are all clinical signs of clenching.

The muscles of mastication may be tender to palpation in a patient experiencing bruxism or clenching. All of these conditions can also be found in a patient with bruxism. However, enamel wear has such a strong correlation that it is the main and often the only element for assessing bruxism. The patient with clenching has a “secret strength disease.”

Thus, special care is required to diagnose this disorder.

The muscles of mastication may be painful to palpation and hypertrophied with bruxism and clenching. The masseter and temporalis muscles are easy to examine during the first visit. Overactive muscles are not always tender to palpation, but tenderness in the absence of injury or disease is a sign of overuse or lack of coordination between muscle groups.

The lateral pterygoid muscle is most likely to overfunction during bruxism or clenching, but is difficult to palpate. The medial pterygoid muscle, located on the same side, provides more reliable information.

It functions as an antagonist to the lateral pterygoid muscle during hyperfunction, and its sensitivity is a good indicator of overuse of the lateral pterygoid muscle.

When assessing muscles for clenching, attention should also be paid to mouth opening deviation and sensitivity of the temporomandibular joint.

Deviation to one side during deployment indicates muscle imbalance on that side and the possibility of degenerative joint disease. Restriction in mouth opening is not difficult to detect.

Normal opening should provide a distance of at least 40 mm from the edge of the upper incisor to the edge of the lower incisor in a patient with Angle Class I malocclusion.

If there is any horizontal overlap of the teeth, its amount in millimeters should be subtracted from the minimum normal opening value of 40 mm. The opening range without taking into account overlap in men is 38-65 mm, in women - 36-60 mm from one edge of the incisor to the other.

Increased tooth mobility may be an indication of exposure to forces exceeding physiological limits, bone loss, or both.

This not only requires further investigation to identify parafunction, but is also very important if implant placement is planned in the area of ​​mobile teeth.

Being surrounded by mobile teeth, a rigid implant can be subjected to occlusal loads many times greater than expected. Trembling, a vibrational type of tooth movement, is often observed in patients suffering from clenching.

To identify these symptoms, the examiner's finger should lightly palpate the facial surfaces of the back teeth one by one to detect vibration as the patient "teeth taps." Trembling is a symptom of localized excessive occlusal loads.

Erosion of the neck of a tooth is primarily a symptom of parafunctional clenching or bruxism forces. Black analyzed the 8 most popular theories for the formation of gum grooves around teeth and found them unproven. This phenomenon is often called tooth brushing.

McCoy41 reported that these grooves can be observed around every tooth, around just one tooth, and even around the teeth of some animals. All patients with this condition had one common feature - parafunction.

Chipping of the tooth neck is directly related to the concentration of forces, as revealed by 3D finite element analysis42 and photoelastic tests. A study of elderly non-nursing home patients found that tooth neck aggravation was present in 56% of those examined.

Other signs found in patients suffering from bruxism or clenching include occlusal invaginations or pitting, stress lines on enamel and alloy restorations (Lüder lines), and material fatigue. Trembling can be detected clinically in many immobile teeth with neck erosion.

Not all gingival erosions are caused by parafunction. However, if they occur, a thorough examination of the occlusion should be performed, as well as other signs of excessive force. If this is the cause, the condition is usually called cervical abfraction.

A common clinical consequence of clenching is a scalloped edge of the tongue. During clenching, the tongue is often pressed forcefully against the lingual surfaces of the teeth, exerting lateral pressure, which leads to the formation of a scalloped edge. This tongue position can often create a vacuum in the mouth, allowing clenching to persist for long periods of time, often during sleep.

Fatigue fractures

Increasing magnitude and duration of force is a significant problem, whether it is bruxism or teeth clenching. The fatigue curve previously presented for bruxism is also characteristic of clenching.

In addition, the patient with clenching may suffer from yielding occlusal materials, which also leads to component fracture. Yield becomes inherent in a material if the amount of deformation is a function of the time of exposure to a constant load.

Therefore, although load cycles may not affect deformation, a constant force is still capable of causing failure. In other words, something will break if the sustained force does not weaken or at least decrease in duration or intensity.

This condition can also occur in the bone and lead to implant mobility and failure. All possibilities for reducing force should be considered.

Tongue thrust and tongue size

Parafunctional tongue thrusting is an abnormally strong pressing of the tongue against the teeth during swallowing. When swallowing, a load of approximately 0.4-7.0 N/cm2 is recorded in the anterior and lateral areas of the palate.

For orthodontic tooth movement, a constant load of only a few N/cm is sufficient. There are 8 different types of tongue thrust, but the most common ones are anterior and posterior unilateral, and posterior bilateral.

The question is often asked, which comes first - aberrant tongue position or poor dental alignment? Regardless, this condition may contribute to the development of complications during implant healing or affect the longevity of the prosthesis.

Although the tongue thrust force is less intense than other parafunctional forces, it is horizontal and can increase the amount of stress in the gingival portion of the implant.

Analysis of this force is most important for single-stage surgical techniques in which the implant is in an elevated position upon initial placement and the implant contact area is in the early healing phase. Tongue thrusting can also cause the incision line to become exposed and cause soft and hard tissue damage.

Tongue thrusting can cause tooth displacement or mobility, which is significant, especially if the implants are located in the same quadrant. If natural teeth in the tongue thrust area have been lost as a result of abnormal tongue position or movement, then the implants are at increased risk during initial healing and early loading of the denture.

To assess anterior tongue thrust, the examiner pulls the patient's lower lip down, holds it in that position, and asks the patient to swallow. Normally, when swallowing, a vacuum is created in the patient's mouth due to the position of the tongue in the front of the palate.

A patient suffering from anterior tongue thrust cannot create the vacuum required for swallowing because sealing is achieved by the lower lip. To assess posterior tongue thrust, the cheeks are pulled away from the back teeth one at a time with a mirror, and the examiner asks the patient to make a swallowing movement.

Visually discernible movement of the tongue during swallowing may also be accompanied by pressure on the instrument, which confirms the presence of lateral force. Posterior tongue thrust may occur in patients who wear a maxillary denture and have a Kennedy Class I mandibular arch without a prosthesis to replace these teeth.

Under these conditions, the maxillary denture often weakens the valve seal and collapses at the rear because only the anterior teeth are in contact. To reduce this problem, the patient places the back of the tongue in the edentulous area to prevent displacement of the maxillary denture.

The tongue often fills the available space and its size may increase as teeth are lost. As a result, a patient who does not wear a mandibular denture often has a tongue that is larger than normal. The installation of implants and prosthetic teeth in the mouth of such a patient leads to an increase in the magnitude of lateral forces, which can be long-lasting.

In addition, the patient complains of a lack of space for the tongue and may bite it while chewing. A mistake on the part of the prosthetist would be to reduce the width of the lingual contour of the mandibular teeth.

The lingual cusp of restored mandibular posterior teeth should follow the Wilson curve and have proper horizontal overlap to protect the tongue during occlusion. Reducing the width of the back teeth often increases the frequency of tongue biting, which may not improve over time.

It is necessary to make a prosthesis that corresponds to such conditions, and not treat them as a short-term inconvenience. The prosthetist should determine the position of the tongue before treatment and inform the patient about the need to teach correct tongue movements.

Source: https://bcb.su/stiskivanie-zubov.htm

Reason #1: Stress

Scientists from the University of Dusseldorf conducted a study involving 48 subjects and proved that the main cause of bruxism is stress. In sleep, the body rests, cleanses itself and gets rid of unnecessary information, and clenching the jaw, a person continues to experience the troubles of the day at night. Constant nervous tension is a sure way to the development of this disorder.

INTERESTING FACTS!

  • Representatives of the following professions are most susceptible to stress: surgeon, photojournalist, passenger plane pilot, realtor, manager.
  • Dark chocolate, laughter and... good deeds help reduce stress hormones. The famous scientist Allan Lukes claims that after sincere, selfless help to strangers, a person experiences happiness and satisfaction. The body produces endorphins, it relaxes and gets rid of stress. This is also confirmed by a 30-year study that showed that women who cared about other people, and not just their family, were 2 times less likely to get sick and enjoyed life more.

Jaw clenching in sleep: why does it occur and what to do about it?

A person may not realize what is interfering with his sound sleep until he learns from loved ones that teeth grinding can be heard at night. This is a fairly common problem, affecting 15-20% of the population, but most people are not even aware of it or do not pay attention to it until they are faced with the consequences. Why does a person clench his teeth tightly in his sleep and is it necessary to do something about it?

What is bruxism

Clenching your teeth while sleeping is called bruxism. The attack, during which the jaws clench tightly, friction occurs and grinding sounds, lasts from a few seconds to 10 minutes and is repeated periodically throughout the night. Usually the phenomenon is accompanied by changes in blood pressure, breathing problems, and increased heart rate.

Bruxism is observed in 50% of children; as they grow older, in most cases, teeth grinding at night stops. But it’s better to find out the reasons right away in order to avoid health problems in the future. In adults, the phenomenon is less common and is not considered an independent disease, but this is a clear signal that not everything is in order with the body.

There are two types of bruxism:

  1. Day. It does not occur as often, it is easier to recognize. Periodically during the day, during tense moments, a spasm of the jaw occurs, which takes on an unusual, abnormal position. In most cases, self-control will help you cope with daytime bruxism.
  2. Night. It is much more dangerous, because during deep sleep a person does not control his actions.

At the time of an attack, pressure is applied to the jaw that is 10 times greater than the load during chewing.

Reason #1: Stress

Scientists from the University of Dusseldorf conducted a study involving 48 subjects and proved that the main cause of bruxism is stress. In sleep, the body rests, cleanses itself and gets rid of unnecessary information, and clenching the jaw, a person continues to experience the troubles of the day at night. Constant nervous tension is a sure way to the development of this disorder.

INTERESTING FACTS!

  • Representatives of the following professions are most susceptible to stress: surgeon, photojournalist, passenger plane pilot, realtor, manager.
  • Dark chocolate, laughter and... good deeds help reduce stress hormones. The famous scientist Allan Lukes claims that after sincere, selfless help to strangers, a person experiences happiness and satisfaction. The body produces endorphins, it relaxes and gets rid of stress. This is also confirmed by a 30-year study that showed that women who cared about other people, and not just their family, were 2 times less likely to get sick and enjoyed life more.

USEFUL INFORMATION: Why you constantly want to sleep and lethargy: reasons

Bad habits

The occurrence of bruxism can be triggered by lifestyle. The following have a negative impact:

  • nicotine addiction;
  • drinking alcohol in large quantities;
  • exceeding the daily caffeine intake;
  • taking antidepressants.

Congenital anomalies

The reason may also be hidden in defects of the facial skeleton, for example, in the incorrect structure of the joints that connect the temporal bone and the lower jaw.

Neurology

Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system provoke various sleep-related disorders, which are often accompanied by grinding teeth - apnea, somnambulism, nightmares, enuresis. Trismus and bruxism are also signs of damage to the trigeminal nerve, which causes tone of the masticatory muscles.

Dental reasons

Various problems in the oral cavity can also lead to the development of bruxism:

  • malocclusion;
  • loss of some teeth;
  • braces;
  • dentures, veneers;
  • poorly placed fillings.

Theory about helminths

There is an opinion that the main cause of teeth grinding is helminths. There is no scientific evidence for this theory. But it is known that the body infected with parasites suffers from a lack of vitamin B12.

Because of this, the brain does not receive enough oxygen, sleep disturbances, and involuntary contractions of the masticatory muscles occur. Therefore, this reason cannot be excluded either.

It will always be appropriate to check whether the body is suffering from helminths.

Symptoms

Teeth grinding at night is the first and surest sign of bruxism. But it is almost impossible to find out about it without outside help.

To independently identify the disease, you should pay attention to the condition of the enamel, to the presence of an increased reaction to sweets, hot or cold.

New holes, chips, or dentures may have become damaged for no apparent reason. All this is indirect evidence of the development of a movement disorder.

There are a number of additional signs that may indicate the manifestation of night bruxism:

  • throbbing pain in temples in the morning;
  • dizziness and ringing in the ears;
  • soreness of the jaw muscles;
  • constant feeling of fatigue, drowsiness;
  • discomfort in the sinuses;
  • restless sleep and frequent awakenings.

Treatment of bruxism

First, you need to identify the nature of bruxism, determine whether the problem relates to the dental field or has psychological causes.

Based on the results, it is necessary to contact the right specialist as soon as possible to avoid serious consequences. Your doctor will tell you what to do first and how to get rid of the problem.

The most common measures used in treatment:

  • A complete dental examination and elimination of all problems in the oral cavity, including correction of malocclusion.
  • The use of special mouthguards made individually according to the size of the patient’s jaw. With their help, teeth are protected from injury, but they cannot completely get rid of the problem.
  • Injections of a minimal amount of Botox. It prevents the jaws from clenching tightly, partially paralyzing the muscles of the mouth.
  • Apply soothing warm compresses before bed.
  • Taking medications and vitamin-mineral complexes, including magnesium, calcium, B vitamins.
  • Minimizing stressful situations, allocating time during the day for rest and walks.
  • Limit heavy food intake in the evening. This will promote muscle relaxation and healthy sleep.

If a serious pathology of the jaw is detected, surgical intervention, such as plastic surgery of the articular disc, or the use of laser therapy is possible.

Special exercises and massage

Exercises and self-massage will help in the treatment of bruxism:

  1. Squeezing your jaw with your palms below on both sides, you need to press lightly with your fingers, massaging it in a circular motion. It is advisable to repeat such manipulations, which help relieve tension from the problem area, every day for at least 2-3 minutes.
  2. Chin muscle training. With your mouth slightly open, you need to push your jaw back with your fingers. The procedure is repeated several times during the day, at least 10 times in 1 approach.
  3. Chewing gum exercise. You need to roll the chewing gum balls from one corner of your mouth to the other. It is better to do this before going to bed, until you feel tired in your muscles, then the likelihood that your jaw will be clenched tightly in your sleep will sharply decrease.

What causes constant clenching of teeth?

If measures are not taken, increased clenching of teeth can lead to unpleasant consequences:

  • dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint develops;
  • the lower jaw becomes more massive;
  • the bite is disturbed;
  • chewing muscles become inflamed;
  • teeth become sensitive and fragile;
  • headaches and spasms of the facial muscles occur.

If teeth grinding and excessive tension in the masticatory apparatus are left untreated for a long time, the neck muscles ache and posture deteriorates.

When a person wants to grit his teeth

Under heavy loads, the jaw compression mechanism operates in the body. In this case, the tension is concentrated in the masticatory muscle. It increases in volume if a person is in danger and is the strongest. The average person develops a force of up to 72 kg; the Guinness Book record is about 400 kg.

Athletes are well aware of this phenomenon. They learn to relax the masticatory muscle during periods of heavy physical activity. This frees up the spine and directs energy in the right direction. This action requires enormous concentration. People who are not involved in sports are not recommended to imitate athletes, as this makes it difficult to evacuate stress. This can lead to stomach ulcers. Sedatives that lead to muscle relaxation, sagging of the lower jaw, and block the release of tension. This prevents the body from overcoming stress.

I want to grit my teeth

As you can see, gritting your teeth in certain situations is normal. This is, for example, what players do in tug-of-war.

Bruxism in adults - parafunction of the masticatory muscles

First, you need to identify the nature of bruxism, determine whether the problem relates to the dental field or has psychological causes. Based on the results, it is necessary to contact the right specialist as soon as possible to avoid serious consequences. Your doctor will tell you what to do first and how to get rid of the problem. The most common measures used in treatment:

  • A complete dental examination and elimination of all problems in the oral cavity, including correction of malocclusion.
  • The use of special mouthguards made individually according to the size of the patient’s jaw. With their help, teeth are protected from injury, but they cannot completely get rid of the problem.
  • Injections of a minimal amount of Botox. It prevents the jaws from clenching tightly, partially paralyzing the muscles of the mouth.
  • Apply soothing warm compresses before bed.
  • Taking medications and vitamin-mineral complexes, including magnesium, calcium, B vitamins.
  • Minimizing stressful situations, allocating time during the day for rest and walks.
  • Limit heavy food intake in the evening. This will promote muscle relaxation and healthy sleep.

Of course, in terms of severity, dental bruxism in adults cannot be compared with diseases such as caries or complete adentia, which require immediate medical intervention. If in the Middle Ages, grinding your teeth at night could cause a person to be brought to trial by the Inquisition on suspicion of being associated with the devil, today, apart from discomfort at night for your loved ones, it does not threaten anything.

A person simply does not notice most habits in himself, but he is often angry at similar manifestations in other people.

One of these unpleasant moments is involuntary grinding of teeth, which in medical terminology is called bruxism.

According to popular belief, teeth grinding indicates the presence of parasites in the body. However, official medicine does not confirm this. At the very least, there is no evidence for this statement, as well as other proven reasons for this phenomenon.

According to one theory, bruxism is a sign of a failure in the regulation of sleep depth, that is, it is akin to snoring, sleep enuresis, sleep walking or nightmares.

It is believed that there is a genetic tendency to this phenomenon. In a dream, not a single person is able to trace the work of his muscles. If the facial muscles are in a state of hypertonicity, then they do not relax and rest together with the entire body, but continue to contract. Thus, the jaws tighten and a creaking sound is heard. Most often, this phenomenon occurs after overexertion of the body, stress, or strong emotional stress.

Another provoking factor may be some orthodontic problems (bite or missing teeth).

Another cause of bruxism is a person’s internal aggression. After all, even in ancient times, people clenched their teeth during military clashes. And even today, teeth are one of the methods of struggle (especially for kids). Therefore, depression, overstrain, and anger often cause teeth grinding at night.

  • Before going to bed, work your chewing muscles hard so that they get tired: chew a carrot, for example,
  • Massage the “sun valley” point, which is located near the little finger. You need to massage six to seven times a day. Once you find this point, it is no longer possible to make a mistake and even a baby can do self-massage,
  • meditate on the “third eye” - the point located between the eyebrows,
  • during the daytime, control the position of your jaws and engage in auto-training. The main idea of ​​these trainings: teeth apart, lips together,
  • apply a hot compress to your cheekbones before going to bed,
  • Lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, exercise - this balances the nervous system.

The main goal of treatment is to relieve hypertonicity of the masticatory muscles. There are special orthodontic devices for this: relaxing mouthguards. They are used only for sleeping and are made from individual dental impressions. The duration of treatment can even be up to a year. During this time, the facial muscles “get used” to the new state.

Bruxism in adults - night and day

The help of a psychiatrist and neurologist is often necessary in order to correct the patient’s general condition. Herbal sedatives are usually prescribed. It is advisable to take care of your psyche and avoid stress. Patients with bruxism are advised to give up the habit of chewing gum or chewing pencils.

Folk method1. Rinsing the mouth with chamomile decoction. This remedy relieves inflammation and tension. To rinse, you need to brew 1 tablespoon of dry raw material with 200 ml of boiling water, hold on low heat for 10 minutes in a sealed container, cool and strain.

Bruxism is a pathological condition characterized by parafunction of the masticatory muscles. Typically, patients learn about the presence of this disease from loved ones who notice a person grinding their teeth at night.

Bruxism in adults causes and treatment are fully known to qualified doctors. Treatment is aimed at complete cure or reduction of side effects.

The first thing a specialist does after making a diagnosis of bruxism is making an individual mouth guard. This mouthguard is worn at night, and it reduces pathological chewing pressure on the dentition. Medicines and sometimes hypnosis are also used to relax muscle structures. However, wearing this device does not lead to a cure; the device only reduces the pathological effect.

To completely get rid of the parafunction of the masticatory muscles, the cause must be eliminated. If the cause is stress, treatment should be aimed at normalizing the psychological state. If the reason lies in a dental anomaly, then the patient must first undergo orthodontic treatment.

To reduce tension, the patient must master the technique of self-massage and learn to relax the muscle tissue of the neck, shoulders and orbicularis oris muscle.

Bruxism is a pathological condition that signals that the body is tired. Timely specialized care will not only preserve the patient’s aesthetic appearance, but will also improve the patient’s general condition, because the treatment of this pathology is a complex process that requires the participation of many specialists.

How I was afraid of dentists and what it led to

Hi all.
I’m still scared of dentists now. This post is probably the first and last - just to share what really hurts and try to help someone overcome themselves before it’s too late..

There will be no pictures. Oh, yes – I don’t know for what reason, but I very rarely brush my teeth. Yes, I understand - personal hygiene and all that, well, that’s how it happened. I clean it very rarely, or until it gets too tight.

I was born in 1985, so to speak, the “generation of perestroika”, I saw all the tryndets that were in the country, but the “story” is not about that.

Everyone who was born during this period probably saw such a thing as an annual examination by the whole class at the dentist, and, if necessary, on-site treatment (aka sanitation).

Treatment at that time was carried out using drill machines with a belt drive (an electromechanical drill with a multi-link belt drive).

Now the drill is rotating at incredible speeds, driven by air pressure, it is also a pneumatic turbine “wunderwaffle”, which simultaneously blows into the treatment site, cooling the damaged tissue and reducing pain. And also at that time, the only anesthesia available was a foam cable the size of an adult man’s index finger and a dental assistant who held the head and used this buzzing herombula as an instrument.

So, I am a primary school student who tried chewing gum for the first time, of which there were only 3 types - raspberry, orange and a third (before that they chewed tar). Chewing gum was in short supply, and for this reason it was not shameful to chew for someone else, or to share a piece. Also, the chewed gum was carefully stored until the next day, so that it could be chewed again.

Apparently, at the level of genetics, my father gave me weak teeth, and given my love for sweets, caries stuck to me like flies to sweets. And a bonus for me was the increased pain threshold in the teeth.

That is, my classmates’ teeth were treated normally, but they tied me to a chair with a cable.

There were several unsuccessful attempts to treat my teeth, but I stopped all this by reflexively clenching my jaw when trying to put a foreign object in my mouth - usually it was the doctor’s fingers. But sometimes they outplayed me - their jaws locked and there was a sea of ​​​​tears.

From all that has been said above, it follows that I am afraid of dentists like fire, I am wildly afraid of toothache (with any manipulation in the mouth I expect a painful “shot”), and I shake quite a bit at the appointment. I avoid dentists in every possible way, as well as going to them, until the “hour x” happens, aka fucked up.

We rewind the film 6-7 years ago from today. The lower right tooth six is ​​formally rotten, the crown of the tooth has partially fallen apart, reacts sharply to cold/hot, everything is black inside.

It doesn’t particularly bother me, I don’t chew on this side, if there is pain, rinse your mouth or brush your teeth. A year and a half passes - a nagging pain syndrome appears (this could be either pulpitis or periodontitis, or complete carte blanche with a couple of other bonuses).

It doesn’t particularly bother you, it can be easily eliminated by several iterations of sucking air into the problem area.

Sometimes a “crisis” occurs - a piece of hard food gets into the decay of the tooth and is pressed on top by the jaw. It's really fireworks, with sparks from the eyes, and the feeling of a nail driven into this place.

Several more months passed, and at one point the fireworks became constant, along the way they radiated to the cheekbone, temple, and eye socket. You feel the tooth pulsating inside. Only good painkillers help relieve the syndrome, and even then not completely and not constantly.

Having gathered all my will into a fist, I made an appointment with the dentist.

After sitting down in the chair, my mind was somewhat foggy. Sensations: pain (from a tooth), fear, horror, panic, everything is decay.

The doctor examines the tooth and reports that everything is bad, but we can try to restore it. There are no particular guarantees, but he says you will always have time to remove it. He takes this damn poker (third from the left, photo from the open air) and starts doing something in the tooth.

I shrank all over (based on childhood experience), but nothing happened. I happily relax and then the doctor touches something. How I didn’t scream - oh my, my eyes went dark, there was noise in my ears, dots were running around in my eyes.

I understand perfectly well that this is a pre-fainting state, and the realization that it’s somehow stupid.

And I also understand that the body is trying to fall out of the chair over the top by moving its shoulder blades, I also clenched my fists that the knuckles turned white, and in fact clenched them until they bled.

All this happened in just one and a half to two seconds. Fortunately, the doctor is smart, he burned the picture, gave him a sniff of ammonia, and to catch his breath. He said that I am an interesting patient, since it is very rare to come across patients with a completely destroyed tooth and LIVING nerves in the root canals.

The doctor sends me running to take a picture of the tooth. As it turned out, periodontitis began, one tooth root out of 4 was inflamed. After which the entire gum area is injected with an anesthetic in order to apply a paste (also known as arsenic in common parlance) and a temporary filling. He told me to come back in 2 days.

After the anesthetics wore off, I felt “good” - the fireworks returned, but were less pronounced, disappeared after a few hours, and there was a slight aching pain, which did not bring serious discomfort.

2 days have passed. Again I’m on the chair, again jitters, fear and panic. The doctor removes the temporary temporary care, says that the paste has destroyed all the nerves, and everything will be normal - you can start treatment. To which I asked to give me at least 2 injections of anesthetic. The doctor shook his head but agreed.

After a couple of minutes, the doctor put on safety glasses and a plastic visor over his face. I took the healthiest and most abrasive drill and began the “magic” - shavings of my tooth actually came out of my mouth in a “stream”, and I didn’t give a damn - my nerves were dead, 2 injections of anesthetic.

The doctor completely drilled out the tooth cavity, removing all the dentin, then used some kind of needle to wrap the remaining nerve in the canal and pulled it out (he did this for each canal). I disinfected everything, filled the canals with gutta-percha, and applied a temporary filling. He told me to come the next day.

At the same time, he sent me for electropheresis - they pumped electric shock into my gums (and after the final treatment, they also shocked me with electric current, for about 5 days in total). As I understand it, gutta-percha has an anti-infectious effect and other useful benefits, and electricity... also does something useful.

Then everything was “standard” - the tooth was reamed again, the gutta-percha was removed, the entire tooth cavity was filled with cementing paste, the crown of the tooth was given the desired pattern, and that’s it.

About a year ago, the bottom left seven fell apart and rotted. I scored as usual.

Beginning of November - the tooth began to ache, sometimes the pain was quite severe, but was easily eliminated by taking ibuprofen.

Remembering what happened ~7 years ago, I went to the doctor a little earlier, but the result was about the same.

The tooth is destroyed, the nerves (bitch!) are all alive. While picking a tooth (I didn’t lose consciousness), I almost crawled away on my shoulder blades. The doctor (unfortunately, the previous doctor from the municipal clinic left for a private one, and the current doctor is different) was very surprised.

He said that the nerves should be dead with such damage. I told him the story above, agreed that I was an idiot and let my teeth sink in. As a result, he applied “arsenic” and warned that there would be a painful effect with necrosis of the nerves in 30-40 minutes.

He sealed it up with a temporary temporary thing and sent it home.

30 minutes passed - nothing, the slight ache in the tooth intensified a little, and it stopped.

40 minutes

50 minutes

It’s about twenty o’clock – I’m so…lo (the 7-year-old fireworks from the past seemed like crap). Tears from the eyes, hands are shaking, the eye is twitching, the temple is shooting, etc…. 2 tablets of ibuprofen in one gulp, ice in a bag and through a towel on the cheekbone. It was released only after 3 hours.

Tomorrow I’ll have an appointment with the doctor on duty at the clinic - remove the makeshift, remove the arsenic, if necessary, clean it a little and apply a makeshift.

Appointment on Monday for treatment.

So, what is my whole story?

Never, ever, under any circumstances, procrastinate with your teeth.

Modern anesthetics relieve (albeit temporarily) almost all unpleasant sensations during the treatment process, except in cases of very deep caries and when nerves are affected.

MOST IMPORTANT: find in advance through friends/acquaintances/mothers/fathers/and other relatives a DENTIST/DENTIST/ORTHODONTIST.

Regular and (most importantly) proper brushing of teeth is not a panacea. If you have genes and bad water (and I have bad water with a high fluoride content - hello tartar and, as a result, caries with other bonuses in the form of complications).

I strongly recommend visiting your dentist at least once a year.

And yes - all my teeth in the lower jaw require treatment (except for the right six, which was fixed 7 years ago), even the eights (aka wisdom teeth) are damaged.

Also on the way, as in the story above, the upper left four has rotted and fallen apart, but while the roots in the bone have not become inflamed, the nerves have not been affected - a bolt has been hammered, but I am well aware of what will happen...

I can’t overcome myself and start treating my tooth.

Health and blessings to all.

Source: https://pikabu.ru/story/kak_ya_boyalsya_stomatologov_i_k_chemu_yeto_privelo_6288406

About the violation seriously

Reasons for clenching teeth during the day

Bruxism in adults and children is a condition of involuntary clenching of teeth, resulting in grinding.

This may be a consequence of certain processes in the body or a harmful addiction, which is noted much more often. This habit does not pose a serious health hazard, but it does create some problems.

This uncontrollable grinding of teeth intensifies at night when a person is sleeping, which puts extra stress on the temporomandibular joint.

The consequence of creaking is also damage to the enamel, loosening and abrasion of teeth, a negative impact on the facial muscles, joints, and the emotional state of the person himself and his loved ones, for whom grinding prevents them from resting.

The disease is more common in children, but age and gender do not play a role in this issue.

Some interesting statistics

According to statistics, bruxism most often affects children under the age of 7 years - 30-50% (usually by the age of 7 in children the problem disappears on its own), in

while in adults the same figure is only 10-15% of the total population.

But it is also assumed that bruxism is much more common in adults, so the statistics are inaccurate. Lonely people grinding their teeth are not even aware of their condition because they have no one to tell about it.

In the daytime form of the disorder, the person himself notices its manifestations and tries to control his condition.

Nature of the disease

According to some scientists, bruxism is a sleep disorder, like somnambulism (sleepwalking), enuresis, snoring, nightmares and apnea (stopping breathing during sleep).

This assumption has not been officially confirmed, because this phenomenon has not been fully studied. There are suggestions that teeth grinding at night is a response to involuntary activity during sleep, when a person talks in a dream, experiences hallucinations, and is between sleep and wakefulness.

It is known for sure that bruxism occurs in aggressive people who are trying to suppress anger, as well as in citizens prone to stress and emotional stress, which often entails work activity. In any case, grinding your teeth at night can lead to serious consequences.

There are 3 known clinical forms of bruxism:

  1. Unconscious clenching of teeth. This process occurs due to tonic contraction of the muscle fibers involved in raising the lower jaw. The force with which teeth are clenched can vary and depends on the mental load on the body. Tonic contraction of the masticatory muscles leads to the formation of compactions in the muscle tissue. Patients usually notice them on their own.
  2. Chewing without food. The movements of the lower jaw have a small amplitude and the teeth are usually closed. Most often, this clinical situation is characteristic of elderly people who have removable dental appliances. When using dentures, the processes of bone atrophy intensify. If artificial teeth are not remade in time, they will not stay well in the mouth. Non-food chewing is aimed at better pressing the denture to the jaw. Over time, this movement becomes a habit, and the person unconsciously carries out these manipulations.
  3. Grinding of teeth. In this clinical form, the jaws are tightly clenched, and the dentition makes lateral movements (left - right), accompanied by a typical sound. Usually this problem happens at night. Therefore, patients suffering from parafunction of the masticatory muscles sleep poorly: they are restless, often wake up, and feel headaches in the morning.

How is depression treated?

The drugs prescribed for Alice did not help. “They managed to stabilize me a little. I even got a job. And at the age of 26 it became so bad again that drugs appeared. I barely got down. Psychiatrists, learning about my suicide attempts, suggested that I go to a hospital. I refused. It took several years to find a specialist willing to treat me without putting me in a ward, and then a little over two more years to find a treatment regimen.”

For Katya, everything turned out differently. In the fall of 2020, she was admitted to one of the PNDs in her native Novgorod for two weeks. “It was terrible. I was prescribed pills again. We were all in the same department - people with depression, drug addicts, alcoholics, old grandmothers with dementia. The nurses treated us like... I don’t even know how to say it. I will never forget one grandmother. She felt very bad, and they constantly yelled at her and intimidated her. They had a clear directive: we all needed to be calmed down and calmed down. That's all."

According to the girl, she left the hospital with one thought: never agree to be hospitalized again. But, on the other hand, this experience nevertheless brought Katya back to life. Dire impressions forced her to look for any ways to support herself and not succumb to depression.

“For somatogenic or endogenous depression, drug therapy is recommended,” comments Elena Beletskaya. “This is the most effective, because the root of the problem is congenital disorders of the functioning of brain transmitters. For psychogenic, neurotic, reactive and masked depression, medications are best combined with psychotherapy. The success of treatment here depends on what became the provoking factor. If this is an isolated episode, then you can simply undergo a course of treatment; if it is a personal factor, then you will have to develop a life strategy taking into account your personality characteristics.”

“It is worth seeking help in any available place and in any available way. A psychologist is often an intermediate link between a patient and a psychiatrist and relieves anxiety several hours before a person decides to go to the doctor,” explains Beletskaya.

Symptoms

Teeth grinding at night is the first and surest sign of bruxism. But it is almost impossible to find out about it without outside help. To independently identify the disease, you should pay attention to the condition of the enamel, to the presence of an increased reaction to sweets, hot or cold. New holes, chips, or dentures may have become damaged for no apparent reason. All this is indirect evidence of the development of a movement disorder.

There are a number of additional signs that may indicate the manifestation of night bruxism:

  • throbbing pain in temples in the morning;
  • dizziness and ringing in the ears;
  • soreness of the jaw muscles;
  • constant feeling of fatigue, drowsiness;
  • discomfort in the sinuses;
  • restless sleep and frequent awakenings.

What Causes Teeth Grinding?

Teeth grinding is not an independent disease. It only indicates psychological or physiological disorders in the body.

If bruxism is detected in an adult, then before starting treatment, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination to find the cause that provoked the presented pathology.

Physical reasons include:

  • malocclusion;
  • missing or supernumerary teeth;
  • abnormal structure of the temporomandibular joint;
  • Parkinson's or Gettington's disease;
  • epilepsy;
  • difficult getting used to the prosthesis or braces;
  • poor quality fillings.

Psychological causes of bruxism include:

  • uncontrolled nervous excitability;
  • protracted stressful situation (passing exams, waiting, family difficulties);
  • drugs, withdrawal syndrome due to nicotine or alcohol addiction.

Lifestyle can also influence the formation of a “bad habit”: alcoholism and smoking, excessive use of antidepressants, consumption of caffeine in large doses.

All this provokes stimulation of the cerebral cortex during night sleep. A person suffers from insomnia, which increases the risk of bruxism.

What is the danger

Delayed treatment entails harmless consequences:

  1. First of all, a patient who grinds his teeth all night feels pain in the maxillofacial area, because the muscles and joints of the face are under constant tension and this causes pain.
  2. In addition, from constant grinding, the chewing surface of the teeth wears off, they become loose and become sensitive, while the gums become inflamed, and the aesthetic appearance of the teeth deteriorates.
  3. Bruxism radiates pain to the ears and maxillary sinuses, the patient wakes up with a headache in the morning, hearing gradually begins to deteriorate, and facial asymmetry slowly develops.
  4. A person begins to suffer from insomnia, nervousness, irritability, overexertion and even depression appear.

If the disorder suddenly appears in an older person, then you should undergo an examination, because teeth grinding may indicate epilepsy.

In addition, a person cannot sleep in the same room with someone; it is difficult for him to build a family life. Several cases of divorce have been officially recorded precisely because of teeth grinding while sleeping.

First of all, people who intensively grind their teeth during sleep may suffer from pain in the maxillofacial muscles. After all, the muscles are in a state of overstrain. The facial muscles and joints may also hurt. In addition, due to constant grinding, the chewing surface of the teeth wears off faster, they become loose and move out of place. This significantly worsens the appearance of the teeth, and also increases their sensitivity.

But bruxism can affect not only the condition of the teeth: the pain can radiate to the ears and maxillary sinuses. Some patients complain of headache in the morning. Sleep may deteriorate, and this already entails nervousness, overstrain and irritability.

If an adult suddenly starts grinding his teeth, he should definitely undergo diagnostics, as this is a likely sign of epilepsy. A person who is aware of his peculiarity is embarrassed to sleep in the same room with someone else. Some cannot even build a family life because of this or lose their family. Thus, it is imperative to fight bruxism, and fight it with the help of doctors.

Feeling of aching in the teeth - it makes your cheekbones cramp

November 28, 2020 Last revised: January 12, 2020 Dental diseases

Many people have experienced a feeling of aching in their teeth and causeless discomfort in their gums and cheekbones. This condition appears closer to night, when there is no way to come to the dentist. Why does my teeth hurt? Let's consider all the reasons for this condition and methods for eliminating pain.

Everyone knows the symptoms of pain during caries. But why can perfectly healthy teeth hurt, what is the reason? This pain manifests itself with very unpleasant symptoms for various reasons:

  • cold/hot consumption;
  • consumption of sweet/sour foods;
  • in the cold wind;
  • when touched.

For some, pain occurs only when eating cold/hot foods or exposure to cold wind or when swimming in a cool body of water. For others, pain symptoms appear upon contact with an acidic/sweet environment. There are other cases: a feeling of pain when touching a toothbrush or other objects. It is not uncommon to experience prolonged pain after visiting the dentist.

Unreasonable aching pain in the jaw after a walk in winter or cold autumn can be constant. My teeth are healthy, but my cheekbones are cramped.

Note! Tooth hypersensitivity is not always associated with a dental problem.

The first sign of the development of pathology is an acute reaction of the enamel to changes in temperature. If this problem occurs, you should immediately make an appointment with your dentist. If you ignore this fact, the next problem will be a reaction to sweet/sour foods. Then the pain will occur simply when you touch the jaw or gums.

Dental examination

When examining the oral cavity, the dentist uses several methods to determine the location of pain and its cause. Doctor:

  • taps teeth with a dental instrument;
  • affects them with cold;
  • sends for radiography.

The task during the examination is to find out the localization of the pain syndrome and its intensity. Often the pain spreads throughout the jaw, which leads the patient into a state of despair.

Causes of aching teeth:

  • thinned enamel;
  • cracks in the enamel;
  • exposure of the neck of the tooth;
  • gum problems;
  • enamel whitening;
  • somatic diseases of internal organs;
  • hormonal changes;
  • frequent stress;
  • hereditary factor;
  • malocclusion;
  • tooth extraction.

Thinning enamel

This is a common cause of pain. The protective layer is not able to protect the soft tissues of the tooth from the influence of cold/heat, chemical effects of acid. When consuming the products, a person experiences excruciating pain, which goes away over time. People refuse cold drinks, hot food, and sweets so as not to experience a painful condition.

Thinning can occur with constant enamel whitening using professional or folk remedies. Therefore, dentin and the inner layers of dental tissue suffer from changes in temperature or changes in acid-base reaction. If you do not eat pickles and sweets, do not eat ice cream and hot soup, the pain does not manifest itself.

Also, thinning of the enamel can occur due to a lack of vitamins in the diet necessary to maintain the density of the covering layer. Because of this, dental problems arise, and the teeth become hypersensitive to any influence.

Night grinding of teeth and abnormal jaw structure contribute to the rapid abrasion of the covering layer. An incorrect bite leads to thinning, as the teeth chew food in extreme mode. It is advisable to correct the bite in childhood. The listed reasons lead to generalized abrasion of the enamel layer, which causes aching of all teeth.

Cracks in enamel

This condition can occur due to mechanical impact on the teeth due to impact, trauma, or excessive pressure. Sometimes, instead of cracks, chips appear, which opens the way for various pathogenic bacteria to the dentin. All this causes discomfort when eating and drinking.

Enamel can crack due to a lack of minerals, as well as when intensively brushing your teeth with too hard toothbrushes. Cracks often appear with frequent consumption of too cold or hot drinks, as well as with a sharp contrast in temperature.

Gum diseases

Gum pathologies occupy one of the first places among dental diseases. Loose gums harbor entire colonies of pathogenic bacteria; the affected tissues cannot firmly hold the teeth. As a result of the development of periodontitis, the cervical zone of the molars is exposed, which reacts sharply to any temperature changes or a shift in the acid-base balance.

Somatic diseases

Our body is a single system in which all organs are interconnected. A problem in one organ negatively affects another or affects an entire organ system. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract affect the condition of teeth and enamel.

The nervous system also affects the condition of teeth. With constant stress, caries appears, gums hurt, and the enamel becomes covered with cracks.

An inflamed facial nerve located in close proximity to the teeth leads to discomfort in the jaw or individual molars. The nerve becomes inflamed due to stress and hypothermia.

Teeth can hurt with frequent colds, laryngitis and sinusitis. Often, damage to enamel and dentin appears when the disease is caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Infection in a flu-like state can penetrate the dental nerves.

Another reason why teeth hurt is hormonal imbalance. Almost all pregnant women experience unpleasant sensations in the jaws in the first months of pregnancy.

My teeth ache, my jaw hurts, and this condition is often accompanied by a headache. Subsequently, individual molars begin to deteriorate.

The same situation occurs during menopause, when the body cannot cope with hormonal changes.

With angina pectoris, pain in the jaw or teeth is also noted. Also, attacks of angina may be accompanied by drying of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, which causes a feeling of thirst.

Localization of pain syndrome

Pain syndrome occurs:

  • local;
  • generalized.

In local syndrome, a single molar responds to the impact. The cause of this condition is carious tissue damage or a reaction to orthopedic products - dentures, crowns.

With generalized syndrome, the entire jaw ache. The cause of this condition can be pathologies of the gums, severe thinning of the enamel layer, or pathological changes in the tissues of the teeth.

Help

What to do if you have aches in your teeth or jaw? Treatment is determined by the cause of the pain:

  • pathology of periodontal tissues;
  • elimination of carious areas;
  • strengthening the enamel layer;
  • laser/ultrasound treatment.

To reconstruct the enamel layer, various mineral compositions based on potassium and fluorine are used. This procedure takes a certain period of time depending on the degree of thinning of the enamel coating.

For inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, first aid is to urgently take analgesics. If the nerve becomes inflamed late in the evening, you should see a neurologist the next day.

If your jaw hurts and your temperature rises, you need to take an antipyretic and pain reliever. Ibuprofen, Analgin, Sedalgin, Pentalgin help well. The gums can be lubricated with gels containing novocaine or lidocaine.

Traditional methods

First aid is to quickly relieve pain. If your jaw hurts late in the evening, you won’t be able to get to the dentist. Among the available means of eliminating pain, you can use herbal rinses and soda solution.

Sage grass

It will help cope with sore gums and partially relieve aches in the teeth/jaw. Rinse the mouth with sage steam several times a day (as the pain syndrome manifests itself). The herb is brewed and the warm infusion is used to rinse the mouth. A cup of boiling water requires a pinch of dry raw materials.

pharmaceutical camomile

Analgesic and wound healing agent. Dry herbs are brewed using the same technology as sage. You should rinse your mouth with a warm infusion; you should not use a hot or cold solution.

The temperature of the infusion should correspond to body temperature. The infusion must be kept in the mouth so that the medicinal substances have time to penetrate the gum tissue.

Chamomile effectively eliminates inflammatory processes.

Oak bark

The medicinal components of oak penetrate into all tissues of the oral cavity. A tablespoon of bark must be poured with boiling water in an enamel cup and simmered in a water bath. Afterwards, the steam must infuse, and then it is filtered. Oral baths made from oak bark napar can eliminate many oral problems.

Soda with salt

It helps not only with flux and inflammation of soft tissues, this solution is also used for toothaches. Dissolve a teaspoon of both ingredients in warm water and rinse your mouth.

It is advisable not just to rinse your mouth, but to hold the solution for several minutes: make baths. If the pain is intense, you should not rinse at all.

Active movement of liquid in the oral cavity can increase the pain, so it is better to simply hold the solution and spit.

Clove oil

Applications with clove essential oil are an effective pain reliever. The oil must be 100% natural and not cosmetic.

For applications, place a few drops on gauze or cotton wool and apply to the sore spot for 15-20 minutes.

However, clove extract can cause an allergic reaction, so first test the effect of the oil on the back of the wrist. If the skin does not turn red from a few drops of the product, you can apply it to the gums or tooth.

Prevention

How to avoid aches in the jaw and teeth? To do this, you need to establish good nutrition.

Dentists advise consuming foods high in tocopherol (vitamin A). It is present in orange and yellow colored foods (vegetables/fruits), as well as in egg yolk and liver.

It is not recommended to consume sour fruits and citrus fruits if you have dental problems.

Calcium is an indispensable building material for hard dental tissues and enamel coating. A lot of calcium is found in dairy/fermented milk products, hard cheeses, fresh herbs and cabbage.

If there is a lack of fluoride, which is responsible for the density of the enamel coating, you need to eat more nuts and any types of seafood. There is also a lot of fluorine and calcium in seaweed. There is much less fluorine in lake and river fish.

Remove from menu:

  • citrus juices, sour fruits/berries;
  • carbonated drinks, sparkling mineral water;
  • seeds in skins;
  • candies, chocolate.

In addition to the diet, it is necessary to take care of the enamel, so brushing your teeth should be done with a brush with soft bristles. Toothpaste should be gentle: buy toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

After each snack, you should rinse your mouth with body temperature water or special medicinal solutions.

Sensitive or bleeding gums should be massaged regularly. Massage promotes blood flow to the tissues, along with which they receive nutrients.

The gums can be gently massaged with a soft-bristled brush or a finger wrapped in gauze. Movements should be light and do not put pressure on loose tissues.

If you intensively massage your sore gums, they will start to bleed.

Massage can also be performed with medicinal oils (medicinal chamomile oil, rosehip oil or sea buckthorn). You can also use medicinal ointments or gels for massage. The procedure is carried out several times a day if a problem with the gums appears. To prevent gums, simply massage them when brushing your teeth.

Bottom line

Why does my teeth hurt? Only a dentist can answer the question after a detailed examination of the oral cavity.

If we exclude a hereditary factor, the causes of dental discomfort may be jaw injuries, abnormal bite, somatic diseases, malnutrition, or mechanical damage to the enamel.

Aches and pains can also appear when using orthopedic structures: dentures, crowns.

If there is a thin layer of enamel, it is prohibited to whiten teeth with harsh cleanings and chemicals. You should also not use hard toothbrushes or whitening toothpastes.

Sources used:

  • Tumanova S. A., Leonova E. V., Rubezhova N. V., Kibrotsashvili I. A., Abramova N. E. “Increased sensitivity of teeth. Clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment.”— St. Petersburg: SPbMAPO, 2010.
  • Irwin CR, McCusker P "Prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity in a general dental population." — J. Ir. Dent. Assoc., 1997.
  • Groshikov M.I. “Non-carious lesions of tooth tissue.” - M.: Medicine, 1985.
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Special exercises and massage

Exercises and self-massage will help in the treatment of bruxism:

  1. Squeezing your jaw with your palms below on both sides, you need to press lightly with your fingers, massaging it in a circular motion. It is advisable to repeat such manipulations, which help relieve tension from the problem area, every day for at least 2-3 minutes.
  2. Chin muscle training. With your mouth slightly open, you need to push your jaw back with your fingers. The procedure is repeated several times during the day, at least 10 times in 1 approach.
  3. Chewing gum exercise. You need to roll the chewing gum balls from one corner of your mouth to the other. It is better to do this before going to bed, until you feel tired in your muscles, then the likelihood that your jaw will be clenched tightly in your sleep will sharply decrease.

Jaw muscle massage

Bruxism

There is an entire group of muscles in your body that are responsible for allowing you to open and close your jaw. When all of these muscles are too tight, bruxism can occur. Massage your jaw area daily to help you relax. Start with jaw stretches. Simply open and close your mouth ten times in a row, then move your jaw from side to side for another ten repetitions. After this, massage with your hands, use the pads of your fingers and rub in a circular motion the areas where you feel tension knots and tight muscles. Move from the bottom of your jaw upward, constantly pressing on areas where you feel particularly tense.

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How to identify the problem yourself?

A person suffering from bruxism may not know for a long time that he grinds his teeth in his sleep. He should be alerted to the following accompanying symptoms:

  • pain in the morning in the head, neck, back, temporomandibular joints, shoulders;
  • pain in the ears and maxillary sinuses;
  • dizziness and ringing in the ears;
  • insomnia and restless sleep;
  • daytime sleepiness;
  • frequent stress and depression.

The consequences of bruxism in pictures

These signs also indicate other diseases, but it is worth paying attention to the condition of the teeth. If they are worn out, dentures are damaged, or the bite has changed, then there is a possibility of bruxism and you should consult a specialist.

Bruxism in children -

According to statistics, teeth grinding during sleep occurs in approximately 15-30% of all children. Most often, bruxism in children occurs during the eruption of baby or permanent teeth. Most often, children grind their teeth during sleep, and not while awake.

Grinding of teeth in a child's sleep: reasons

Why a child grinds his teeth in his sleep - the reasons lie in one of the following factors -

  • psychological factors: anxiety, stress, anxiety, aggression,
  • as a response to teething pain,
  • for malocclusions (incorrect contacts between teeth),
  • as a result of errors in orthodontic treatment,
  • reaction to cold (freezing),
  • reaction to intoxication of the body in various diseases,
  • as a symptom of dehydration.

A child grinds his teeth: what a child psychologist says

Let's dwell a little on psychological factors.
It is important to assess when exactly teeth grinding began. Perhaps you will notice a coincidence in the time of the onset of bruxism with a move, parental divorce, a change of kindergarten or school, conflicts with classmates, teachers, and parents. It is possible that you may not be aware of the conflict your child is experiencing. Therefore, it is very important to have a trusting relationship and try to talk with your child about this topic. Try to make every effort to get him to share his experiences with you.

Important: there are other symptoms that, if you notice, may suggest increased anxiety in your child. This could include nail biting, hair pulling and curling, or any other "nervous habits" you may notice. When talking to your child, be patient and sympathetic, do not get nervous and do not raise your voice at him.

Treatment methods –

As a rule, medical intervention is not required, especially in preschool children. However, it is still worth taking your child for a consultation with a dentist so as not to miss dental complications. But older children may need additional treatment methods (exactly the same as for adults), for example, mouthguards, splints, temporary crowns.

What can be done at home -

  • try to reduce your child's stress, especially at bedtime,
  • Massage and stretching exercises help a lot,
  • hot bath before bed,
  • heat compresses on the area of ​​the masticatory muscles,
  • the child should receive sufficient water throughout the day,
  • you should exclude sweet carbonated drinks (Cola, Pepsi) from your child’s diet, because they contain caffeine, as well as strong tea or coffee,
  • It is not advisable to give your child chocolate, because... it also contains caffeine,
  • It is not advisable to use chewing gum (they give even greater tone to the chewing muscles).

Possible complications

If measures are not taken in time, bruxism can cause a number of serious consequences:

  • Wearing, loosening and loss of teeth.
  • Development of caries.
  • Inflammation of periodontal tissues.
  • Malocclusion.
  • Pathologies of the temporomandibular joints.
  • Chronic headaches.
  • Depression and nervousness.
  • Spasms and pain in the facial muscles.

At the slightest suspicion of bruxism, you should immediately consult a doctor. The sooner you can identify the problem and begin treatment, the sooner you can return to a full life.

Therapy - a full range of measures

Treatment of bruxism is divided into two stages: dental and psychological, because the cause of grinding lies in the psychological state of the patient, and the dental stage is needed to prevent consequences for the teeth.

Treatment can be started independently, where the compression of the upper and lower jaw should be controlled. They should not touch, thus reducing tooth friction.

Several times a day you should relax your muscles: spread your jaws, while pursing your lips. Stay in this position for several minutes. If teeth grinding occurs during sleep, then such exercises should be performed before bed.

You can control bruxism during the day by doing some exercises for your chin:

  • position your head straight;
  • relax your jaw and open your mouth;
  • gently move your chin back;
  • do the exercise in front of a mirror to control the correct position of the upper and lower jaw;
  • repeat the exercise 15 times; for quick and desired results, at least 3 sessions per day should be performed - this exercise will help correct the bite and relax the temporomandibular joint.

Psychological treatment of bruxism consists of relieving stress in the patient. Daily deep breathing will help you get rid of psychological stress: inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

In addition, it is necessary to exercise the patient physically, because physical exercise will help not only relieve nervous tension and stress, but also produce endorphins. It's good to do yoga - it relaxes the whole body and muscles, including the facial ones.

Tension in the jaw: 5 factors that provoke it

Jaw pain

will also cause
headaches
and pain in the ears, teeth, face and neck. What could be worse is when you chew, talk or yawn and feel pain.

In addition to severe pain, tension in the jaw

causes great discomfort as it can completely prevent the mouth from opening by inhibiting the joint.

Another common symptom is that the jaw rattles when opening.

But what makes the jaw so tense? Our jaw may not seem as strong as some in the animal kingdom, but it is true.

According to Scientific American

, the average jaw can exert a force equivalent to that offered at 77 kg, a little more for men and a little less for women.

The joint is designed to apply pressure, and we can use this forgotten instinct at certain times of the day.

Causes of jaw tension

These are some things that cause tension in the jaw.

Joint diseases

This is the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. It is difficult to determine the cause of these disorders, which cause pain in both the joint and the muscles that control movement.

Fortunately, the pain is usually temporary and can be treated with a few days of rest. The disorder can be caused by a combination of factors: genetics, arthritis, or jaw injury.

Some people who grind or clench their teeth may develop them; however, others with this habit will never be able to imagine them.

In the case of this disorder, chewing food can increase the pain, and make the jaw ring or give the feeling that the bone is being crushed.

Stress

Clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth while you sleep or during the day without realizing it can be caused by feelings of anxiety and stress

. Prolonged joint pressure causes tension in the jaw and constant pain on the sides of the face, which can be worsened by eating or talking. Pain from stress is often accompanied by headaches.

Bruxism (grinding teeth)

Bruxism

not always caused by stress. Other reasons, such as genetics and dental problems, may be other causes. People who have bruxism grind their teeth at night, or unconsciously during the day. This habit can cause a lot of pain not only in the jaw, but also in the head and neck due to muscle tension.

Mild bruxism does not require treatment. Severe bruxism can lead to tooth damage (wear and tear of tooth enamel, cracks and even tooth loss), swelling in the jaw, ear pain (similar to pain from an infection, although it does not entail the same condition), headaches in the temples and bruises on the inside of the cheeks.

Feel too much

Although chewy foods are ideal for weight loss

and improve digestion, too much can lead to tension in the jaw joint. This is especially important for people who are used to chewing gum every day.

Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects muscles and joints throughout the body. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis

have disorders of the temporomandibular joint, which causes tension and discomfort in the jaw. Arthritis can damage the joint and surrounding tissue and cause bone loss.

Damage to the jaw due to osteoarthritis is less common, but the disease can cause deterioration and loss of function in the bones and tissues of the jaw. This may cause severe pain in the area.

How to soothe pain

stress treatments

, dental plaques and others.

Jaw Exercises

In some cases, you can relieve pain through exercises to relax the joint. As a warm-up, open and close your mouth.

  • Place your fingertips over the four lower front teeth. Slowly lower down until you feel slight discomfort. Hold the position for 30 seconds and rest. Start repeating this exercise 3 times the first time and try to reach 12 over time.
  • Gently press the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, behind your front teeth without touching them. In this position, press your tongue to slowly open your mouth as far as possible. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times. This exercise should not be performed if it causes discomfort or pain.
  • Smile as much as you can and then open your jaw about 5cm. Inhale through your mouth and let the air move as you return to normal expression. Repeat up to 10 times.

Dental splints

If you clench your teeth while sleeping or in stressful situations, you will benefit greatly from a dental splint. This is a device that is made using your teeth and is designed to cover and protect because the plastic it is made from is softer and more durable than teeth. There are different types of splints, and your dentist may recommend them for bruxism.

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Conservative and traditional medicine

Drug treatment involves reducing the activity of the masticatory muscles. Here they resort to the use of sedatives and hypnotics, magnesium and calcium, B vitamins, and Botox injections.

Among the folk remedies for bruxism, a warm compress in the area of ​​the temporomandibular joint helps - the heat relieves spasm and prevents the jaw from clenching. Before going to bed, you should also chew carrots or chewing gum so that your muscles get a workout and don’t contract at night.

To prevent tooth wear, breakage and dentures, you can use orthodontic mouthguards - these are overlays on the teeth to prevent the jaws from touching.

For preventive purposes, you should normalize your psycho-emotional state, learn self-massage and relaxation techniques, and get rid of bad habits. This is the only way to prevent the development of a problem that has a destructive effect on a wonderful smile.

Magnesium

Home Remedies

Improving your diet will help you stop grinding your teeth. For example, magnesium helps improve muscle health and heart health, and is an essential aid in muscle relaxation and the fight against bruxism. Magnesium can be applied to a spot for a relaxing effect - there are sprays and lotions. You can also eat foods rich in magnesium or take supplements, which are equally effective.

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General information

Teeth grinding is scientifically called bruxism - a literal translation from the Greek phrase “to grind one's teeth.” According to statistics, about fifteen percent of the world's inhabitants suffer from this phenomenon. Children are more susceptible to it (30% of children grind their teeth in their sleep). Bruxism usually occurs during sleep. A special sound indicating that a person is grinding his teeth can be heard for several seconds or several minutes.

While awake, a person does not grind his teeth in the full sense of the word, but he strongly clenches his jaw, and he himself records this movement. Most often, no one pays attention to this, but in vain. Although this phenomenon itself is not harmful, teeth are gradually destroyed. Isolated cases of squeaking can be observed in absolutely healthy people; most children outgrow this phenomenon.

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