Lying awake at night, clenching and grinding your teeth, you wonder what's causing this relentless issue. The persistent headaches, sore jaw muscles, and worn tooth enamel are tangible signs of bruxism, but the root causes may run much deeper.
What if the answer lies not just in your dental health but in critical nutritional imbalances affecting your whole body? Vitamin and mineral deficiencies could be silently fueling the chronic teeth grinding that robs you of rest and wreaks havoc on your smile.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is a condition where you grind or clench your teeth. The two types of bruxism are:
- Awake bruxism — Grinding your teeth while awake
- Sleep bruxism — Grinding your teeth while sleeping
Watching Out for the Symptoms
Because bruxism often happens when you’re sleeping, it can be difficult to detect. However, if you have any of the following symptoms, talk to your dentist:
- Sore jaw
- Constant headaches
- Ear pain
- Flattened, chipped, or broken teeth
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain
What Deficiencies Can Cause Teeth Grinding
Stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, crooked teeth, or an abnormal bite can cause bruxism. However, teeth grinding may be caused in part by the following:
- Magnesium deficiency — Without enough magnesium, you may have muscle spasms or increased stress, contributing to bruxism symptoms. Magnesium also improves sleep, and insufficient sleep could cause you to grind your teeth.
- Vitamin B5 deficiency — In some cases, a lack of vitamin B5 could contribute to teeth grinding. Vitamin B5 works to keep our mood balanced, which can alleviate bruxism symptoms.
- Calcium deficiency — Getting enough calcium may be linked to bruxism symptoms, so eating a balanced diet and taking supplements is essential to get the vitamins you need.
Questions about Nutrient Deficiencies and Teeth Grinding in Fayetteville, AR?
If you want to learn more about bruxism vitamin deficiency or mineral deficiency from teeth grinding, our dental team will happily assist you! At Northwest Arkansas Family Dental, we understand the need to educate our patients, giving them the best chance at a healthy smile.
Call us at (479) 521-2002 to schedule an appointment or ask a question.