What is Sleep Bruxism?

What is Sleep Bruxism?

What is Sleep Bruxism?

If your partner tells you you're keeping them awake with a loud grinding noise, and your dentist notices strange wear patterns on your teeth, you might be suffering from sleep bruxism.

The third most common sleep disorder (after sleep talking and snoring), sleep bruxism is an unconscious grinding of your teeth while asleep. Children are most susceptible to developing sleep bruxism, and they usually outgrow it. Adults can get sleep bruxism too, but this is rare and the causes are believed to be different.

A person with sleep bruxism may collide for as much as 40 minutes in ever hour. Each time they collide, they may be placing several hundred pounds of pressure on the opposite jaw. During the day, a person's teeth only come into contact while chewing, and exert only 20-40 pounds of pressure. It doesn't need to be said that given these conditions, sleep bruxism can cause long term damage to your teeth and jaw.

Like many other sleep disorders, no one knows what causes sleep bruxism. In the 1960s scientists blamed "malocclusion" the upper and lower jaw not fitting together properly. However, this couldn't be proved in clinical trials. For many years, scientists believed stress was the cause, but they cannot explain why only some people with sleep bruxism are experiencing stress.

What they can conclude is that, like many other sleep disorders, stress, caffeine, smoking, alcohol and grief can exacerbate or set off sleep bruxism.

One of the best ways to manage sleep bruxism is to have your dentist fit you with a mouth guard. Made of plastic, the mouth guard fits over your teeth and stops you damaging your teeth or mouth. Mouth guards brought from a chemist will work OK, but a dentist-fitted guard will have a better fit, last longer, and feel much more comfortable.

There is no known cure for bruxism, although many patients have reported success after trying herbal sleeping pills, acupuncture and yoga. Some studies have shown anti-anxiety medicines have some positive effects, but the ease in which a person becomes habituated with these drugs and the often-severe side-effects makes them a less popular choice.

For more information about sleep problems and insomnia cures you can visit the Sleep and Insomnia Guide

POST COMMENT

Live A Healthier Life By Utilizing These Healthy Weight Loss Tips 2 Strange and Rare Sleep Disorders Stop Underarm Sweating - The Secret To Cure Excessive Underarm Sweating Omega 3 and Retina - Find Out How Fish Oil Helps Your Eye Health Miller McDonald Weight Loss Eating Out - Lose Weight Healthy Tips Review Most Common Sleep Disorders Health Retreat is perfect in shaping your body Fitness Tips to Stay Healthy The Ideal Cellulite Cream - The Reality Uncovered Bacterial Vagi - How To Treat Bacterial Vagi And Stop It From Coming Back Night Terrors and Sleep Sex – two Rare Sleep Disorders Sleep Disorder: Causes, Symptoms and its Treatment Lose Weight The Natural Way While You Sleep