Wake up headaches, jaw discomfort and swelling, earaches, tooth alignment problems, and broken or worn enamel teeth? All are consequences of thebruxism, that is, the habit ofclenching and grinding your teeth without being aware of it both during the day and at night.
According to Antoni Arcas, head of the Service of Maxillofacial Surgery, Implantology and Facial Aesthetics of USP Dexeus, although the causes of bruxism are many, “in recent times the cases have increased due to the way in which adults assimilate and express tension ; namely,the stress caused by the crisis situation, job loss or fear and insecuritygiven the current economic situation “.
In addition, the cases of bruxism in recent years are generally accompanied by problems ofinsomniaand anxiety. “Stress during the day conditions the appearance of nightmares at night, as well as bruxism itself. We also find more and more patients who begin to have this type of problems due to the abrupt change in habits due to job loss, which disrupts his sleep routine “, clarifies Arcas.
There are two main types of bruxism: centric, generally diurnal, which produces less dental wear but greater muscular involvement (headache and jaw pain); and the eccentric, which occurs at night and in which the person clenches the teeth while moving them, producing great dental wear.
