Teeth grinding during sleep is a fairly common sleep movement disorder in adults and children. Grinding your teeth while sleeping not only causes discomfort for the person sleeping next to you, but is also a sign of a number of diseases, and can even lead to sleep apnea. So what is the cause of teeth grinding while sleeping?

Teeth grinding is an activity that has the potential to overload the chewing system. Currently, the main cause of the disease is still unknown. However, the disease is often accompanied by stress, bite disorders, allergies and is related to sleeping position. Unfortunately, there is currently very little data on the causes and effects of the disease. Therefore, careful evaluation and treatment is the best way to make the right indications.

Bruxism is defined as “repetitive activity of the jaw muscles, characterized by clenching or grinding of the teeth and/or by pulling and pushing of the lower jaw.” This operation may or may not make a grinding sound.

Teeth grinding disrupts the function of the masticatory system and can cause occlusal injuries. Bite affects muscle function, thereby affecting the temporomandibular joint. Therefore, any change in bite affects both muscles and joints. Malocclusion is one of the most common causes of teeth grinding. Its consequences can cause pain in the temporomandibular joint.

Teeth grinding while sleeping: Appears in both adults and children. Usually back and forth grinding activity.

The cause of teeth grinding while sleeping is not really clear, however it is believed that teeth grinding is often related to the following factors:

Stress Research reports show that psychological factors have a significant risk of influencing the disease, mainly a stressful lifestyle. Evidence on this issue is growing but remains inconclusive. Emotional stress is considered the main trigger. Teeth grinding at night may be a response to past or ongoing daytime stress. Stress can occur in people who work a lot and are oppressed; Students are in exam season. Stress comes with anxiety, which can trigger brain activities. This increases nerve stimulation, which can cause all the reactions of teeth grinding.

Personality: Strong, excitable people are more likely to get sick.

Age: Teeth grinding is common in youth and usually disappears as you get older.

People who have family members who are or have ever suffered from teeth grinding while sleeping are at risk of also having this disease. Research suggests that there may be a degree of genetic involvement in the development of bruxism. 21 – 50% of people who grind their teeth at night have family members who have had the disease before. This shows that genetic factors are related to the disease.

Some side effects of drugs and narcotics increase the risk of teeth grinding such as: Dopamine agonists and antagonists. Tricyclic antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Alcohol, cocaine...

Obstruction of occlusion can be a causative problem. They obstruct the path of normal chewing movements. The cause may be in one tooth or a group of teeth. For example: When the upper wisdom teeth are lost, the lower wisdom teeth grow out. When biting again, the lower jaw must move forward more to close the jaw. This distorts normal jaw movement.

Allergies: Due to intestinal parasite infection, digestive disorders or food allergies. These are possible causes of severe bruxism in children (Marks, 1980).

Nutritional, urinary, and endocrine disorders are also favorable factors causing the disease, more common in children than adults.

Vitamin deficiency and enzyme imbalance also affect the disease.

Central nervous system disorders may be associated with the disease:

• Cerebral palsy.
• Down's disease.
• Epileptic.
• Huntington's disease.
• Leigh's disease.
• Meningeal infection.
• Parkinson disease.
• Post-traumatic stress.
• Rett syndrome.

Some occupations have special demands that can cause teeth grinding or clenching. For example: A pianist clenches his teeth while holding the piano while playing; porters gritted their teeth to brace themselves; Circus performers use their teeth to keep people in the air...

Some studies suggest that these habits are instinctive, behavioral activities of mammals. Its purpose is to maintain the sharpness of teeth.

Teeth grinding mostly does not cause serious complications. But if the patient grinds their teeth severely and frequently, it can cause some harmful effects such as: tooth damage, jaw bone damage, affecting dental restorations, teeth becoming sensitive due to wear and even tooth fracture, temporomandibular joint disorder, head tension, pain-headache, severe facial or jaw pain, facial deformity...

Mild tooth grinding usually does not require treatment, but treatment will be considered in severe cases that have the potential to affect health. Treatment of teeth grinding with the goal of reducing pain, reducing the impact on teeth, restorations, temporomandibular joints and limiting continued teeth grinding:

Teeth grinding due to stress requires applying methods to help reduce stress such as changing the environment, regularly exercising, relaxing, treating sleep disorders, going to bed on time, facial massage, and avoiding alcohol. Use stimulants, especially at night before going to bed.

Patients should try listening to music, taking a warm bath or doing gentle exercise to help relax and reduce the risk of teeth grinding while sleeping.

Adjusting jaw movement habits often takes a long time and requires the support of dentists and psychologists.

• Medications are not really effective in treating bruxism but only reduce excessive muscle tension caused by teeth grinding. Some drugs used are muscle relaxants, pain relievers...
• Your doctor may prescribe some short-term antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications to help control stress or emotional problems that cause teeth grinding during sleep.
• Botox injections - a form of botulinum toxin help people with severe sleep bruxism and not responding to other treatments

Dental treatment intervention helps protect teeth from the harmful effects of teeth grinding while sleeping, but it is not certain that it will completely treat teeth grinding. One of the common ways to intervene is to use anti-bruxism trays to help protect the teeth from abrasion.

Some types of mouthguards also have the effect of adjusting jaw movement habits, which can help limit teeth grinding. This mouthguard can be made of soft material or hard acrylic, suitable for each person's upper and lower jaw.

Adjust the bite position to reduce excessive impacts on chewing muscles and teeth. If there is a lot of tooth wear and sensitive teeth, the patient needs to restore the shape of the teeth to restore the tooth relationship between the two jaws and the bite to match each other.

Although teeth grinding is not life-threatening, it is persistent and can cause serious harm to the teeth. Treating teeth grinding requires patience and coordination from the patient.