Ella does not remember when she started clenching (grinding) her teeth at night, but she remembers suffering from excruciating jaw and headaches and being told that her molars were beginning to disappear.
"I was in a lot of pain. My face was changing shape and my teeth were at risk of breaking. I knew I had to do something about it," she says.
The 31-year-old woman says she suffers from bruxism, which can cause regular and often violent teeth grinding, but her recent treatment has "undoubtedly" changed her life.
Teeth grinding affects millions of people across the UK, like Ella.
Some studies suggest that approximately one in four people experience this condition, but many people may not realize it until symptoms appear.
According to the British Dental Association, there is some evidence that teeth grinding is becoming increasingly common, but no hard numbers.
However, some dentists told the BBC they were concerned about the increasing number of young people facing dental problems caused by constant teeth grinding.
"It's definitely on the rise," says Dr. President of the British Society of Dental and Sleep Medicine (BSDSM). Aditi Desai.
“And that's no surprise considering how stressful life can be these days.”
Research shows that most teeth grinding is due to stress.
So why do our jaws bear the brunt of our daily lives? What can we do about this? And in some cases, that can be a good thing?
Bruxism is a general term that brings together four different movements of the jaw (teeth clenching, grinding, teeth stretching and teeth pushing).
Some grind their teeth at night, some during the day.
Some people do not even realize what they are doing, while others can wake up even their deepest sleeping bedfellows by clenching their teeth so hard that they even shatter their mouth guards.
SO HOW CAN YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE DOING THIS?
Here are the signs you should pay attention to:
Worn, broken or flattened teeth
Headache or facial pain in the morning
jaw stiffness
Sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue
Increased tooth sensitivity
Pain in the temple area without earache or infection
According to the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, teeth grinding is also a topic raised more frequently in therapy; because nowadays people are more aware of how their mental health affects their bodies.
Psychotherapist Rahi Popat says more of her clients, especially younger ones, are noticing that they or someone else is grinding their teeth, often attributing it to a really stressful time in their lives when they notice that their teeth grinding increases or even starts.
'A WAY TO REDUCE THE STRESS A LITTLE'
Trauma and stress can put you in “fight or flight” mode; In this case, your heart rate increases, adrenaline is secreted and your muscles tense, thus preparing the body against an external threat.
And because the jaw and the nervous system are so closely connected via the major cranial nerves, our muscles are triggered and we clench and grind our teeth.
"If we do this throughout the night, it's a way for our bodies to release some of the stress and tension we may have felt throughout the day," explains Popat.
For Ella, grinding her teeth in her sleep had become a way to relieve tension that had built up while she was awake.
“I know it has to do with my stress level,” says Ella.
"I have high-functioning anxiety disorder. I'm very busy and go out a lot to hide it."
He says he "endured" the pain in his twenties. However, a few years later, when the dentist told her that her teeth were at risk, Ella decided to get treatment.
Although it is not routinely offered on the British NHS, Ella decided to pay her dentist to have Botox injected into her masseter muscles, which control her jaw.
The procedure relaxed the muscles and relieved tension in the face; The effect is expected to last three to four months.
"I've been able to sleep properly for the last few months," he says.
“I have much more energy in the morning, my pain is reduced and my face is not as square as before.”
Dentist Dr. The physical impact of teeth grinding on our teeth can be huge, says Simon Cove.
He uses a three-dimensional scanner to evaluate his patients' teeth and can see wear over time.
“Oftentimes people don't even realize they're doing it, but then we see the damage,” he says.
“When teeth are this worn down, treatment can be extremely complex and very costly.”
But he says such cases are relatively rare and can take years to develop.
Dental and sleep specialist Dr. Although you can treat the symptoms (for example, by using a mouth guard), finding the cause of teeth grinding is equally important, according to Aditi Desai.
“Most of the time, dentists prescribe mouth guards without checking the reason.
“It is vital to consider serious, underlying conditions such as sleep apnea (OSA),” he says.
OSA is caused by a blocked airway, so the patient may grind their teeth to clear the blockage so they can breathe again.
"This is a very good example of how teeth grinding can keep you alive," says Prof., one of the leading researchers on this disorder. Frank Lobbezoo.
While bruxism has its downsides (tooth damage, sleep disturbance, jaw pain, just to name a few), it's not always the "bad guy," he explains.
"Teeth grinding is also important for saliva production," says Lobbezoo.
“Moving the jaw muscles activates the major salivary glands. "It cleans the mouth, protects the teeth and is vital for digestion."
Some research also suggests that chewing may help cognitive functions.
“We know this in animals, and our preliminary research shows the same result in humans. "By exercising our jaw muscles, we stimulate the blood flow to the brain."
But teeth grinding can also cause chronic pain, which can greatly impact your daily life.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR TEETH CLOSING?
As a prosthodontist, dentist Riaz Yar treats patients struggling with the effects of severe teeth grinding.
These effects include worn, cracked and broken teeth, and repeatedly failed dental treatments.
Many patients also present with chronic jaw or facial pain and sleep problems, all of which need to be evaluated on their own rather than simply attributed to teeth clenching, Yar says.
In the past, teeth clenching was considered merely a mechanical problem of the jaw, but there is now strong evidence that it is a much more complex condition, Yar said.
According to him, this is a "biopsychosocial problem" that is driven by the brain and nervous system and shapes the whole person.
“We take into account their sleep patterns, diet, weight, amount of exercise, medications they use, and evaluate for signs of sleep disturbance,” he says.
“Many factors can contribute to a patient grinding their teeth, so addressing the condition requires a multidisciplinary approach.”
HOW TO BEST DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM?
Here are some suggestions that may help:
Mouthguard worn at night to protect your teeth
If linked to sleep apnea, devices such as a CPAP machine or mandibular advancement device (MAD) to help keep the airway open
PHYSIOTHERAPY
Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Lifestyle changes that will help reduce stress and improve sleep include exercising, reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking and eating healthier.
BOTOX IS AN OPTION FOR SERIOUS CASES
In addition to taking muscle relaxant injections, Ella says she meditates to reduce her anxiety and relieve the tension she constantly carries.
Ella said: “Treatment changed my life. Now I want to try to find the real reason."
