Temporomandibular Joint Pain Treatment in Ireland and UK

Bruxism is a condition where you grind, grind, or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth when you are awake (awake bruxism) or clench or grind your teeth during sleep (sleep bruxism). Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder. People who clench or grind their teeth (brux) during sleep are more likely to have other sleep disorders, such as snoring and pauses in breathing (sleep apnea).

We don’t fully understand what causes bruxism, but it can be due to a combination of physical, psychological, and genetic factors.

Typically we classify Bruxism into 2 types:
Waking bruxism can be caused by emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger, frustration, or tension. Or it may be a coping strategy or habit during deep concentration. Sleep bruxism may be a sleep-related chewing activity associated with awakenings during sleep.

The risk factors that have been identified for the development of Bruxism are:

• Stress. Increased anxiety or stress can lead to teeth grinding. The same goes for anger and frustration.
• Age.
• Bruxism is common in young children, but it usually goes away in adulthood.
• Personality type. Having an aggressive, competitive, or hyperactive personality type can increase your risk of bruxism.
• Medications and other substances. Bruxism can be a rare side effect of some psychiatric medications, such as certain antidepressants.
• Smoking tobacco, drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, or using recreational drugs can increase the risk of bruxism.
• Family members with bruxism. Sleep bruxism tends to run in families. If you have bruxism, other members of your family may also have bruxism or a history of bruxism.
• Other disorders. Bruxism can be associated with some medical and mental health disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), epilepsy, night terrors, sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Osteoarthritis is a common form of degenerative arthritis, which can affect any joint in your body. It’s associated with joint overuse, and it becomes more common as you age.

Osteoarthritis of the jaw is characterized by the destruction of the hard and soft tissues around the jaw joints. This can change the shape and functioning of the jaw.

Jaw damage may be on one or both sides of the jaw. Arthritis in the jaw can produce symptoms of TMJ disorders. These can include: Chronic inflammation, Cartilage deterioration and Restriction of movement.

The progression and severity of TMJ disorders depend on the type of arthritis involved. The mechanism of how arthritis cartilage degeneration results in TMJ disorders isn’t fully understood.

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

Physical stress, mental stress, and emotional stress can all lead to the onset of TMJ dysfunction or cause an existing disorder to become worse. Whereas you may notice an occasional tightness in the joint along with mild popping or clicking, stress can make the symptoms more frequent and more painful.