Teeth grinding during sleep in adults is a pathological process associated with involuntary contraction of the masticatory muscles. The correct name for this disorder is bruxism. If timely therapy is refused, complications associated with tooth abrasion and periodontal disease may develop. The reasons for this state must be clarified.
Basic information
Teeth grinding during sleep occurs due to spasm of masticatory muscles, involuntary movement of the lower jaw. At preschool age, this pathology occurs in 50% of children. Among adults, this problem is less common (no more than 10%). Many factors can provoke the development of pathology. If an adult has teeth grinding in his sleep, he should undergo a comprehensive medical examination.
Initially, bruxism does not carry dangerous consequences. But if the patient refuses treatment, unpleasant complications may develop: enamel chips, pain in the masticatory muscles, pathological row mobility, and more. The reasonsTeeth grinding during sleep in adults can be different. The most common factors provoking the development of the disorder will be considered below.
Psychological
The risk of developing bruxism increases significantly if an adult patient sleeps little and works a lot. As a result, physical and emotional fatigue increases. A person is constantly in a state of stress, chewing muscles remain tense even during a night's rest. Teeth grinding can develop suddenly after a strong emotional shock. Often these symptoms are accompanied by mental disorders. Short-term manifestations of bruxism can also be observed in emotionally stable people. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
If adult teeth grinding occurs in a dream, psychosomatics is considered by specialists first of all. The doctor finds out how correctly the patient adheres to the daily regimen, how much he rests. If recently you had to endure a stressful situation, you should definitely inform a specialist about this.
Neurological
Teeth grinding during sleep in adults can develop against the background of a violation of the activity of the central or peripheral nervous system. As a result, when a person is in a relaxed state, uncontrolled movement disorders develop. In addition to bruxism, the patient may experience sleep disturbances, nightmares, snoring, and sleep apnea.
Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve often leads to the development of teeth grinding during sleep. Duringdisease, tonic tension of the masticatory muscles is observed. In addition to bruxism, neuralgia will manifest itself with other symptoms. With inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, there is a pronounced pain syndrome. The patient cannot move his jaw normally, speak, chewing becomes difficult.
Dental
Teeth grinding during sleep in adults who are in a stable emotional state is often associated with impaired functionality of the jaw system. Very often bruxism accompanies adentia. This disease is associated with complete or partial loss of teeth. Missing molars can also be congenital. In this case, the pathology is due to hereditary factors.
"Overset" is another dental anomaly that can cause adult women and men to grind their teeth while sleeping. With a fully formed row, the patient has additional rudiments. The exact reasons for the development of such a violation are not fully understood. The disease is most often hereditary.
Causes of teeth grinding during sleep in adults may be due to malocclusion. Most often, patients have a hereditary predisposition to such a disorder. You can correct the bite even in childhood with the help of a special plate. At an older age, a bracket system can be installed. In rare cases, the bite is disturbed already in adulthood due to incorrect or untimely dental treatment. Improperly fitted braces or denturescan also lead to bruxism.
Osteopathic
If an adult has teeth grinding in his sleep, the reasons may be associated with diseases of the spine. In a relaxed state (during sleep), the neuromuscular system tries to release the blockage of the cranial sutures. Especially often such a pathology develops in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. In addition to the night grinding of teeth, the patient will complain of pulling pains in the shoulder area, dizziness and more.
Bruxism often occurs in patients suffering from scoliosis, arthrosis, sciatica.
Other reasons
Some factors have not been scientifically confirmed. However, it is with them that many associate the grinding of teeth in a dream. Worms, according to many, can lead to the development of bruxism. It is possible that parasites are present in the patient's body. However, it is not the invasions themselves that cause the grinding, but the complications that develop as a result of infection.
Many argue that bruxism develops against the background of impaired nasal breathing. Teeth grinding during sleep in adults can be observed with adenoids, deviated septum, chronic rhinitis, nasal polyps.
The tendency to develop bruxism is observed in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Risk factors include recent traumatic brain injury, excessive abuse of energy drinks, alcohol, antidepressants, sleeping pills.
May be present at the same timeseveral adverse factors contributing to the development of nocturnal bruxism in an adult patient.
Symptomatics
Teeth grinding during sleep in adult men and women is not always detected immediately. It is especially difficult to diagnose such a disorder if the patient lives alone. The main manifestation of the pathological process is the characteristic sound of friction of the teeth of the upper and lower rows. Episodes of bruxism can recur several times a night and last an average of 10-15 seconds. At the initial stage of the disease, only relatives of the patient can notice the rattle.
Other signs are added over time. In the morning, the patient may feel headache, discomfort in the jaw area, toothache, dizziness. Can't get enough sleep. With a long course of bruxism, pathological abrasion of teeth develops, chips and cracks in the enamel appear. The molars gradually loosen and begin to fall out, the gum tissue thins.
Diagnosis
Why should adult teeth grinding during sleep be detected as early as possible? The fact is that such a violation can lead to the development of serious complications. Up to the complete loss of teeth. It is not always easy to identify the exact causes of the pathological process. Only a comprehensive examination using several methods barks good results.
If bruxism is suspected, the patient should seek help from a dentist. The doctor first of all must find out which teeth are subjected to the greatest load due to the night grinding. This is done using specialcaps, which are made according to the shape of the patient's jaw. The patient uses these mouthguards for 10-15 days, then the specialist examines their condition.
Pathological activity of masticatory muscles can be detected using the following methods:
- Electromyography. Thanks to special electrodes that are connected to the human body, it becomes possible to study the motor activity of individual nerve and muscle fibers. The study can be prescribed for various injuries, radiculitis, neuropathies, as well as suspected Parkinson's disease.
- Polysomnography. A comprehensive examination of the patient is performed during sleep. The technique makes it possible to assess the patient's condition during a night's rest, to identify any violations of the muscles, nervous system and brain.
Differential diagnosis can be carried out with the involvement of related specialists: psychologist, osteopath, neuropathologist, otolaryngologist.
How to treat teeth grinding in your sleep?
The method of treating the disease depends on the severity, as well as the causes that cause it. If bruxism is caused by psychogenic factors, the help of a psychologist is needed. The patient attends trainings, learns breathing exercises and self-control. With severe bruxism, herbal sedatives are prescribed. In the most advanced cases, antidepressants are used. But drugs from this category should be used only under the supervision of a specialist, not exceeding the recommended dosage.
When identifying problems with the patient's spinerelaxing baths, therapeutic massages can be prescribed. Manual therapy shows good results. This technique is indicated if, in addition to nightly grinding of teeth, the patient complains of headaches, dizziness, and discomfort in the spine.
Dental treatment for bruxism can be quite lengthy. First of all, special protective caps are made of rubber or soft plastic. Selective tooth grinding can be performed. Processing lends itself to molars and incisors, which experience the greatest load during the night grinding.
If the cause of bruxism is malocclusion, the patient should be treated by an orthodontist. Therapy can be carried out using aligners or braces. The latter option is more preferable. With its help, it is possible to change the bite, get rid of the night grinding in just a few months. In addition, almost every patient can afford a simple bracket system.
Aligners are chosen by many for aesthetics. These are completely transparent plastic devices in the form of caps. The aligners are easy to remove and can be used both at night and during the day. The price of such devices will be much higher than that of braces.
In the absence of one or more teeth, crowns or implants are installed for the patient. After the completion of bruxism therapy, the specialist undertakes to eliminate the consequences of the disease - teeth are restored, fillings are installed in damaged molars and incisors.
Forecast
When seeking help in a timely manner, the prognosis is usually favorable. An integrated approach allows you to completely cope with an unpleasant pathology. It is important to find out as soon as possible what the grinding of teeth in a dream means and begin appropriate therapy.
Failure from treatment is fraught with unpleasant complications. The erasure of hard tissues of enamel and dentin can subsequently lead to the complete loss of initially he althy teeth. In such patients, the likelihood of developing periodontal disease at a young age is significantly increased. In addition, patients with bruxism do not rest well at night. As a result, well-being worsens significantly, and the risk of developing depression increases.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of developing the disease in the future, it is necessary to normalize the psycho-emotional state. It is also important to get rid of bad habits. And be sure to timely treat diseases of the spine and nervous system.
Conclusion
If teeth grinding is observed during sleep, the reasons can be very different. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a qualified specialist through a comprehensive examination. Therapy cannot be delayed. Otherwise, harmless bruxism will lead to complete loss of teeth.
