Do your child or spouse's teeth chatter? Do you hear loud, unpleasant and sometimes frightening sounds every night? In medicine, this phenomenon is known as bruxism. Why are teeth banging in a dream, is it necessary to treat it and what could be the consequences?
How does the grinding sound?
Bruxism (gnashing of teeth at night) is a symptom characterizing serious illnesses.
Bruxism usually occurs at night due to contraction of the masticatory muscles. A normal occurrence is when the teeth touch each other while eating, by rubbing. The jaws can touch in a relaxed state, but friction does not occur. During bruxism, the jaw muscles are so tense that the teeth are firmly pressed against each other. At the same time, the jaw contracts strongly and begins to move.
What to do if your loved one is banging your teeth in a dream? Adults and children are prone to this symptom. Pathology can pass with age. Almost one in five suffers from bruxism.
A man is banging his teeth in a dream: reasons
All the possible causes of the appearance of a loud grinding and grinding of teeth at night have not yet been fully studied. Why does a man bite his teeth in his sleep? A common reason is the impact of negative factors. Experts identify several theories:
1. The psychological theory. This is a reflection of stress, dissatisfaction and human dysfunction in life. That is why it is often said that bruxism is a disease of businessmen and public people.
These categories of people are subject to overstrain, stressful effects and emotional overload. However, bruxism occurs in those with normal emotional background.
2. Neurogenic theory. Pathological changes in the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems manifest themselves in the form of a motor disorder. Teeth are often accompanied by twitching in a dream.
Other concomitant symptoms are possible: tremor, incontinence, epilepsy. In rare cases, bruxism can result from damage to the trigeminal nerve.
3. Osteopathic theory. Adherents of this theory believe that gnashing of teeth is an attempt by the neuromuscular system to “remove” the block that the cranial sutures installed. The goal is to restore the rhythm of the heartbeat and breathing.
4. Theory: “jaw teeth”. Dentists are of the general opinion that bruxism is a consequence of pathological changes in the functioning of the jaw-tooth system.
Perhaps the root of evil is buried in the wrong bite, improperly selected braces or improper treatment of dental disease.
5. Theory of diseases. Many are of the opinion that bruxism is a consequence of helminth infections, nasal breathing problems, poor nutrition and gastroesophageal reflux. However, none of these judgments has been confirmed by a number of studies.
Often teeth grinding is observed in patients who suffer from Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea and Tourette’s syndrome.
Feature of rattle in children
Usually a child bites his teeth in his sleep at night, but the problem can also occur during daytime sleep. The attack lasts no more than 10 seconds.
Daytime bruxism is most often found in emotional and active babies. Moreover, the characteristic appearing creak is more a habit than a pathology.
In this case, specialist advice is required. A child psychologist who can direct the child to control his actions can help. You cannot scold for grinding your teeth! There are a number of special exercises to help your child deal with bruxism.
Bruxism at night usually occurs involuntarily, it can not be controlled. During the attack, an increase in blood pressure is observed, the pulse increases and the child begins to breathe more often.
Causes of rattle in children
A child is banging his teeth in his sleep: the famous doctor Komarovsky highlights the following reasons:
- Children's psyche is peculiar. They carry emotional stress and stress in their own way. Even slight nervous stress affects the body of the child. Bruxism in children is a reflection of a certain failure of the nervous system.
- When teething or changing to molars. Usually this phenomenon is accompanied by discomfort and rattle. A child in a dream tries to scratch his teeth, so he creaks with them. When teething is daytime bruxism.
- Malocclusion.
- Disease of the jaw joints.
- The hereditary factor plays a role: if one of the parents suffered from bruxism, then the risk of the child developing significantly increases.
- If a baby has nightmares, he has sleepwalking or other sleep disorders (this applies to those children who snore and talk in a dream).
- Runny nose, otitis media, adenoids - disorders of nasal breathing, causing grinding of teeth.
- With a lack of trace elements that affect muscle contraction and central nervous system function.
- With the abuse of rubbed, soft food, the child at the level of the reflex clenches his jaw in a dream.
The older generation claims that gnashing of teeth is a phenomenon that marks the presence of worms. However, experts argue that there is no connection between helminths and gnashing of teeth at night. Grinding of teeth can occur in healthy children, and in those who suffer from helminthiasis. Grinding of teeth in the latter is aggravated.
Symptoms
Teeth chatter in a dream - an attack lasts about 10 seconds. Most often, close ones pay attention to the problem. The attack is accompanied by jumps in blood pressure and a change in the rhythm of breathing.
After awakening, a person notes a number of typical symptoms that lead him to a doctor:
- muscle pain in the face (facial myaglia);
- jaw muscle pain;
- toothache;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- drowsiness.
Typically, the dentist identifies such pathological changes: the abrasion of the edges of the teeth, increased sensitivity of the teeth (hyperesthesia).
Enamel defects, periodontitis (inflammation in the tissues around the tooth), and the unsteadiness of the teeth (leading to their loss) become noticeable.
Is this the norm?
Teeth in a dream - is this the norm? There is a reason why gnashing of teeth is a physiological norm. For example, with fear or hypothermia, a person can bite his teeth even at night, not only during the day.
Knocking for these reasons is the protection of the body from negative external influences. The intensity of muscle movements produces heat. This improves blood flow, adrenaline is produced and enters the bloodstream.
If gnashing of teeth is not a dental reason, then a neurologist will help determine the impact factor. He will direct the patient for an encephalogram.
Treatment methods
The variety of causes of bruxism explains the difficulty of treating night knocking with teeth.
The baby does not need treatment for bruxism, since the disease usually goes away by the age of 6.
If we are talking about an adult, then it is necessary to use complex treatment: medicines, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, dental treatment.
If the cause of gnashing of teeth lies in a psychological factor, then you need to seek help from a qualified psychologist. He will begin to work with you through cognitive behavioral therapy. Trainings, therapeutic exercises, techniques for personal relaxation are what you need.
Drug treatment includes the use of drugs that have a depressing effect on muscle motility. Mostly these are sedatives and sleeping pills. Vitamin therapy is also administered. In particular, B vitamins and medicines containing magnesium and calcium are prescribed. In severe cases, advanced - injection of botulinum toxin.
The attending physician may prescribe manual therapy, massage and bandages to warm the jaw.
Dental therapy includes correction of the bite, selection of the right bracket systems. Perhaps grinding teeth. The dentist may prescribe a protective cap made of rubber material. The patient should wear it overnight on the teeth, to prevent their mechanical damage.
Effects
Teeth chatter in a dream - a negative phenomenon that wakes up at night not only loved ones, but also harms the person himself. With constant pressure, the teeth suffer. They become shaky and fall out gradually, enamel is erased and constant painful feelings disturb.
Bruxism negatively affects those who wear orthopedic designs. Teeth experience double pressure from the design itself and from pressure. In addition, the rattle causes rapid wear of the structure.
Bruxism can lead to stress, depression, and overwork.