Sleep disorders: Sleep Bruxism
One of the most common sleep disorders, besides snoring and sleep apnea, is grinding of teeth. It is estimated that almost 10% of Americans grind their teeth on a nightly basis. The grinding of teeth is called “ sleep bruxism ” and if left untreated, can cause damage to the teeth, headaches and jaw pain. W hat happens during sleep bruxism? When someone clenches or grinds their teeth , the upper and lower teeth are in direct contact for as much as 40 minutes per hour with a force of about 250 pounds. As a result, a person can feel facial pain, headaches, have oversensitive teeth, tongue indentations or damage to tooth enamel. It’s extremely important that a person who grinds their teeth sees a dentist immediately for treatment. What causes sleep bruxism? No one knows for sure what causes the grinding of teeth. Several theories have developed over the years including stress, dopamine levels and functions of the nervous system, but none have...