To successfully treat and prevent recurrence of bruxism we need to understand and — if possible — remove the underlying causes and risk factors. We need to ask: "What else is going on inside the body that might allow bruxism to develop?"
Accurate diagnosis of the factors behind bruxism consists of three steps:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Magnesium Need | 96% | Confirm |
Food Allergies | 52% | Possible |
Stress | 29% | Unlikely |
Asthma | 5% | Ruled out |
Hay Fever | 4% | Ruled out |
Calcium Need | 2% | Ruled out |
Do you suffer from clenching or grinding of teeth while you sleep (Bruxism)? If you sleep with a partner, it may be worth asking them.
Possible responses:
→ No / don't know→ Mildly - it was mentioned but I feel/see no signs → Moderately - I grind my teeth but no damage yet → Seriously - some damage to teeth → Severely - extensive damage to teeth |
Allergy may play a role in bruxism. It is reported that bruxism is more frequent in those experiencing periods of allergic rhinitis or asthma.
Hidden food allergies may contribute to the chronic clenching of teeth.
Cheraskin & Ringsdorf (1970) studied the effects of nutritional supplements on teeth grinders or clenchers. Of these, 16 took calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), iodine, and vitamin E. When surveyed a year later, they reported that bruxism vanished. In contrast, the 15 bruxers who only took vitamins A, C, E and iodine showed no improvement. It seemed reasonable to conclude that the active agents were calcium and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5).
According to Ploceniak, prolonged magnesium administration nearly always provides a cure for bruxism. This confirms an earlier report which claimed remarkable reductions and sometimes disappearance in the frequency and duration of grinding episodes in six patients who took assorted vitamins and minerals (which included 100mg of magnesium) for at least five weeks. When the supplement intake stopped, the symptoms returned. [Bruxism and Magnesium, My Clinical Experiences Since 1980, by C. Ploceniak (Translated from the French by James Michels)]
Teeth-grinding is often stress-related.
Allergy may play a role in bruxism. It is noticed that bruxism is more frequent in those experiencing periods of allergic rhinitis or asthma.