Bruxism is a subconscious condition that comes with clenching and grinding of the teeth. If left untreated, severe bruxism may lead to the development of several complications that range from tooth damage or wear, jaw pain, gum recession, injury to the tongue, lips, or cheeks, and increased tooth sensitivity or pain, among others.
Most people are usually not aware that they grind their teeth or are bruxers until when told of the same by loved ones. This is because bruxism mostly happens at night when you’re asleep. Bruxism treatment may be recommended for you if you’re already aware that you’re a bruxer and you suspect that bruxism may be behind injury to your tongue, lips, or cheeks or even jaw pain.
Can Bruxism go away?
There are several cases where kids outgrow bruxism without necessarily needing treatment. Besides, a more significant percentage of adults who have this disorder do not grind their teeth so severely to the extent of requiring therapy.
Nonetheless, if the condition persists or gets severe, you may need treatments or therapies. It is important to note that bruxism cannot be cured.
Therefore, the treatment or therapies you will be receiving for this disorder will only be designed to relieve you of any discomfort that may have come with this disorder, like jaw pain and tooth damage.
Here’s a quick roundup of treatment recommendations that can help manage bruxism in Singapore;
- Managing Stress and Anxiety
Bruxism may be due to increased stress and anxiety. If your physician believes that your disorder is due to such conditions, they will prescribe essential psychological treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to bring it under control.
Studies also show that stress-related bruxism can be managed by allowing yourself enough time to relax and sleep. Besides that, your physiotherapist may recommend a variety of activities or exercises that may help your body relax so you can have a good night of sleep.
Some of the activities you can do to get you relaxed before retiring to bed include;
- Having a bath
- Performing yoga exercises
- Reading
- Getting a massage
- Listening to calming music and
- Reading
- Medications
As we had hinted before, the medications that your doctor may prescribe for bruxism in Singapore will not be for treating it. Instead, they will only help reduce the effects that come with this order.
Therefore, your doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to give you relief from the swelling and pain on your jaws that may be due to continually grinding your teeth. They may also recommend muscle relaxants before retiring to bed to manage the symptoms of this condition.
There are also instances whereby bruxism comes up due to the use of antidepressants. If your physician believes that the antidepressant medications may be responsible for your condition, they may recommend changing medications.
- Use of Mouth Splints and Mouth Guards
Mouth splints and mouth guards may also be recommended for managing bruxism in Singapore. Usually, your dentist may recommend a custom-made one for you, or you can get one from your dentists.
Mouth splints and guards can effectively smooth out the pressure across your jaw and create a physical barrier between the upper teeth and the lower teeth to stop any more damage to your teeth. They’re also effective in reducing the grinding noise that comes when you grind your teeth.
- Treating and Avoiding Dental Complications
As a basic rule of thumb, if you’re already aware that you grind your teeth, it is recommendable that you get regular dental checkups. Regular checkups will help detect any problems on your teeth due to this disorder early, so you can begin early treatments to minimize the extent of damage or prevent dental complications.
Usually, you can benefit from dental reconstructive procedures if bruxism may have caused you dental problems like crooked or missing teeth, misaligned teeth, etc. You may also benefit from jaw surgery, which will help reshape your jaw alignment of teeth so you can stop grinding your teeth.
How do I stop Bruxism at Home?
Usually, you can use the mouth guards and splints to manage bruxism at home. Other than that, there are a few adjustments you may need to make in your life or day-to-day routine to stop teeth grinding. Here are a few recommendations that may help;
- If you’re a smoker, it would be better if you stop smoking. Studies hint that nicotine dependence may increase your risks of suffering bruxism.
- If you’ve ever used any recreational drugs, like cocaine or ecstasy, we’d also recommend that you give up using them early whenever possible. Recreational drugs like cocaine increase bruxism symptoms, making your teeth become brittle and even cause jaw pains.
- If you drink alcohol, it would also be better to cut back on your alcohol consumption or stop it altogether. Alcohol is known to make bruxism even worse when you sleep.
Your Help may only be an Appointment Away
We understand the frustration and pain that may come with bruxism. If it has already started causing damage to the teeth or discomfort, it is prudent that you seek medical help now. You can also schedule an appointment with us today to review you or your loved one’s condition and recommend practical treatments.