Family Friendly & Specialty Dentists in London, UK
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Epidemiology
- Prevalence of bruxism ranges from 8% to 31% in the general population.
- Awake bruxism is more common in women, while sleep bruxism affects both genders equally.
- Children can develop sleep bruxism as early as the first year of life, with a prevalence of about 14-20%.
- Adolescents have a prevalence of about 13%.
- Adults have an overall prevalence of 8%, with a lower prevalence in individuals over the age of 60.
Signs and Symptoms
- Symptoms of sleep bruxism are most intense upon waking and gradually decrease.
- Grinding or tapping noise during sleep, often noticed by a partner.
- Other parafunctional activities associated with bruxism include cheek biting and lip biting.
- Burning sensation on the tongue, potentially related to tongue thrusting.
- Indentations of the teeth on the tongue, known as crenated tongue.
Pain
- Most individuals with bruxism do not experience pain.
- The presence or severity of pain does not necessarily correlate with the intensity of grinding or clenching.
- Pain in the muscles of mastication can be compared to muscle pain after exercise.
- Pain may be felt in the masseter muscles (angle of the jaw) or temporalis muscles (temples).
- Temporomandibular joints may become painful, accompanied by clicking.
Dental Effects
- Excessive tooth wear, particularly attrition, is a common consequence of bruxism.
- Tooth fractures and repeated failure of dental restorations (fillings, crowns, etc.) can occur.
- Hypersensitive teeth may result from wearing away of insulating layers of dentin and enamel.
- Inflammation of the periodontal ligament can cause soreness and possible tooth loosening.
- Bruxism can negatively impact the components of the masticatory system, including the teeth, periodontium, and temporomandibular joints.
Causes and Treatments
- The exact causes of bruxism are not fully understood but likely involve multiple factors.
- Awake bruxism is thought to have different causes from sleep bruxism.
- Various treatments are used, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited.
- Self-reported bruxism may not accurately reflect the true prevalence.
- The ICSD-R states that 85-90% of the general population grind their teeth at some point, but only 5% develop a clinical condition.
