Bruxism is the medical term for the grinding of teeth or the clenching of jaws, this commonly occurs to people while they are under stress or during sleep. It is well known that around 30 to 40 million Americans suffer from bruxism during sleep, but as well as about 50% of children are likely to suffer from bruxism. This disorder is very serious since it wears down teeth enough that their enamel is rubbed off, exposing the inside of the tooth (dentin) which will make your teeth more sensitive. It is very common for children to suffer from bruxism, but it is known for them to be over it when they hit adolescence, but can also get over bruxism as early as the age of 10 years.
Some of the more common symptoms of teeth grinding consist of :Grinding sounds at night which disturbs the sleep of nearby people.Waking up to headaches, jaw muscles feel tight and/or painful - especially when waking up, facial pain, and teeth are damaged

Some of the causes are:Emotional Stress, allergies, and injuries to the Jaw, head or neck. Anti-Depressants such as Prozac, paxil, celexa, etc.Drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy has been reported to cause teeth grinding
The damage bruxism causes is very severe and has some long term effects. The two most common damage bruxism does is the jaw feeling sore and wearing down teeth, wearing down of the teeth will cause some long term damage if teeth has been worn down too much. The damage teeth grinding causes is likely to damage teeth and molars, which is likely to affect the neuro-muscular system (i.e. Headaches). If the damage caused is very severe and pain feels very harsh, the jaw would then may require surgery.
There are various treatments and remedies for treating teeth grinding or bruxism. The treatments usually focus on reducing pain, modifying clenching behaviors and preventing permanent damage to the teeth. Some of the things that you can do at home to help relieve pain include:
- Relaxing your facial and jaw muscles and making it a habit to do this throughout the day.
- Applying wet heat or ice to sore jaw muscles.
- Drinking plenty of water
- Massaging the muscles of the face, neck and shoulders.
- And working on reducing your daily stress levels through relaxation. aldara.
Health professionals also often recommend that you avoid eating hard foods like steak, nuts and candies. If you’re prone to stress and anxiety, managing stress can help reduce your bruxism

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