Bruxism help against teeth grinding

What helps against chronic teeth grinding

04/16/2015

About eight percent of Germans grind their teeth at night. Some of them do not notice it for a long time. Teeth grinding can lead to numerous health consequences. Tension and headaches are usually noticeable quickly. Against the problem, which is called medical Bruxismus, there are good therapy possibilities.

Eight percent of Germans grind their teeth
About eight percent of German adults grind their teeth at night. The teeth grinding, medical Bruxismus calls, although some people sleep, but others do not notice it for a long time. It can lead to numerous health consequences. Among the causes of bruxism include stress and anxiety. The news agency dpa reports in a recent article about the teeth grinding and what can be done about it.

„The teeth are getting shorter“
„I often woke up in the morning with cramped jaw and neck and often with headaches“, Christine Vogel explained to the agency. She has been grinding her teeth for 20 years. According to the German Medical Association, about every tenth German grinds his teeth so hard in his sleep that he has to go to the doctor. You unconsciously bite your teeth back and forth while crunching. Others literally bite their teeth and press their tongues against the rows of teeth or suck their cheeks and bite their insides. That leaves a trace: „The teeth are shorter, there is no fissure relief more, the top layer is permanently rubbed away“, explained Thomas Wolf of the Federal Board of the Free Association of German Dentists (FVDZ) in Bonn.

Numerous health consequences
When the top layer is sanded away, the dentin is free, with nerve conduction in it, making the teeth more sensitive. Wolf added: „The more you crunch or press, the more you approach the nerve.“ In the worst case, even the jawbone can change, the teeth can relax and eventually fail. In addition, the teeth can be crumbled by the pressing together. Both crunching and pressing occur with incredible pressure, which hardens the muscles in the face, especially in the jaw, but also in the neck, in the shoulder until further down the back. Therefore, bruxism often leads to health consequences such as back pain, headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and pain in the pelvic muscles. But tinnitus, blurred vision, dizziness and nausea often occur.

Stress can cause teeth grinding
Dagmar Schlaubitz from the German Association of Physiotherapy, which specializes in the treatment of teeth crunchers and presses, said: „The jaw muscle is one of the strongest muscles in the body.“ It often comes through the hardened muscles to headaches, tinnitus and visual field limitations. Affected people get the mouth open only with pain and cracking, the TMJ is damaged. Wolf explained that the cause may be a malposition of the teeth or jaw, for example if the temporomandibular joint is not in the correct position. „There may also be an unequal ratio of muscles and ligaments, for example, if you chew on one side at a time.“ Living conditions can also play a role. Anyone who is under heavy stress, both professionally and privately, is more likely to crunch.

Physiotherapy against the acute pain
The dentist usually makes a bite splint to protect the teeth. „There are also special rails that correct the misalignment of the temporomandibular joint or better position it“, so wolf. „The rails should be checked every half year.“ To relieve the acute pain offers physiotherapy. „Well suited is manual therapy“, said Schlaubitz. „It's about getting the tension out and loosening the muscle.“ The cause is not resolved. Affected need permanent ways to switch off and letting go. You should also sharpen your perception and observe when the teeth are on top of each other during the day. Teeth are actually only in contact with the food, in relaxed state never.

Do not displace and swallow
Thomas Wolf treats his patients with the so-called hypnotherapy, hypnosis. „It's about seeing when it started crunching and what happened at the time in life“, explained the dentist. Often, sufferers also help exchange with a psychotherapist. „One does not believe how well we can suppress crunching“, said Christine Vogel. „In unpleasant situations, I said to myself „That does not matter“, but actually I was angry, agitated, angry, but did not admit it to myself.“ It helps to find out what puts you under pressure. „Then you have to find a way to deal with situations or people differently. Do not swallow it down.“

Simple exercises against the crunch
In addition, you can counter the crunch with a few simple exercises something. For example, one can open the mouth several times a day and thus stretch the muscles. Schlaubitz recommends that you have exercises by a physiotherapist. Since stress is often a cause of teeth grinding, relaxation exercises also offer stress relief. Experts recommend, among other things, methods such as yoga, autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobsen. In addition, the sooner you turn to a dentist with a tight neck and headache, the better. Christine Vogel, who still crunches under extreme stress and then uses her bite splint, explained: „Complaints such as tinnitus, headache and neck pain and bad sleep have disappeared with me.“ (Ad)