Illustration of a jaw x-ray. – Pixabay
- Shabby teeth, cracking jaw, headaches… The signals that can lead to bruxism, teeth grinding at night, are not well understood.
- However, they can have repercussions on the whole body. And these teeth grinding problems are often magnified by stress.
- Not surprisingly, dentists and osteopaths have found that bruxism problems have affected more French people since the start of the health crisis.
The health crisis and its share of uncertainties have taught us to bite the bullet. Maybe a little too much …
A study by the American Dental Association revealed in March 2021 that 71% of dentists noted an increase in dental problems
bruxism (clenching and grinding of teeth) in their patients.
Same story here? “We have no quantified study in France, but very clearly, we have seen in the field that many more people have bruxed during this period of pandemic”, assures Christophe Lequart, dental surgeon and spokesperson of the’French Union for Oral Health (UFSBD).
To break his teeth
Which is not without consequence… “Patients break their teeth more often, that appealed to me”, confirms for his part Muriel Wagner, dental surgeon in Paris and vice-president of theDental union. Why ? Because by dint of grinding and clenching their teeth, some can be so weakened that they break. “Bruxism causes wear on the contact surfaces: the teeth decrease in height, become flat,” explains Christophe Lecart. This movement is neither linear nor balanced, it can be more accentuated on one or more teeth, which can lead to fractures of the tooth. Even more often if it has been replenished. This is why we see a lot of detached bridges and cracks in crowns… ”
“If you wear out your teeth a lot, you break through the enamel, which doesn’t grow back. It must be treated before it becomes serious, adds Muriel Wagner. Because the enamel protects the tooth from hot, cold, sugar. If the tooth becomes very sensitive, painful, we will have to devitalize it. “
Problem: it is generally unconscious, in full REM sleep, that we indulge in these squeaks. Impossible to control and difficult to identify, therefore. “Most often, it is the person who sleeps with you who warns, because the squeaks make an infernal noise”, assures Christophe Lequart. “Normally the night is a resting phase for the brain, but some patients tend to have brain activity,” explains Emmanuel Mengin, osteopath in Paris. For these specialists, no mystery, this increase in bruxism is linked to increased stress by the health crisis. “It is an oppressive period, so the body reacts, even if we do not realize it”, analyzes Muriel Wagner.
Effects on the whole body
And the ailments associated with bruxism do not stop at the head. In addition to a cracking jaw, the neck, shoulders and back may be sore. Muriel Wagner has also tested it: an osteopathic colleague proved the link between teeth and back. “By raising a muscle to the level of my mouth, I immediately felt a point in the back, it did the opposite manipulation, the pain disappeared”, she illustrates. “The jaw is a sower of trouble, it can create postural imbalances,” confirms Emmanuel Mengin. And create tension at a distance: there is pain in the knees linked to bruxism. The closer the symptoms are to the jaw, the stronger they will be. “
He ensures that since September 2020, osteopaths have noticed in their consultations the increased suffering of the French. “We see a lot of bodies in protection, in retraction, like a turtle that goes into its shell. This “survival mode” creates rigidity. On average, I increased my consultations from 10 to 15 minutes. We must be able to approach the patient without generating additional protection. “
If this osteoarthritis is used to seeing a lot of patients in difficulty in November, a typical period of seasonal depression, this year the troubles have continued. “Throughout the winter, 8 out of 10 patients were in this state of vigilance which manifests itself, among other things, by bruxism,” he continues. And the mask does not help: it creates jaw reflexes to get rid of it, some put the chin forward for example. It is not bruxism, but it is part of the mandibular mechanisms which participate in the tensions of the jaw. “
Fortunately, to relieve the jaw, teeth and back, there is a solution. Indeed, you can ask your dentist to create a gutter : a custom-made dental appliance for the night, in flexible or rigid resin. “Between November and April, I made aligners more often, around 10 to 20% more,” assures Muriel Wagner. What is it for ? “Usually, it is placed on the lower arch,” she continues. It creates cushioning and the squealing wears down the resin, not the teeth. On the other hand, it must be redone regularly. “It’s a kind of mouthguard”, illustrates Christophe Lequart, who also advises to indulge in meditation.