Bruxism is not just a dental problem. It is often the body’s response to nervous system tension, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, breathing disorders and even chronic stress.
1Symptoms
- Waking up with a headache in the morning
- Pain in the jaw and temple area
- Clicking sound when opening the mouth
- Tooth wear and sensitivity
- Neck and shoulder tension
2Its link to everyday life
Spending long hours in front of a computer leads to a forward head posture and shoulder tension. This tension, built up over the day, may continue at night as teeth clenching.
3What do we look at?
- Biomechanics of the skull and neck
- Level of tension in the nervous system
- The link between breathing and posture
- Mobility of the temporomandibular joint
The neck, the base of the skull and the temporomandibular joint work in connection with one another. According to the fascial approach, tension in the jaw may be part of a chain that runs along the body’s deep line all the way down to the feet.
We look not at where the pain is, but at where it comes from.
— Dr. Elfana Suleymanova, Center Director · Internist and osteopathic physician
Related conditions
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Sources and further reading
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) — NHS (Böyük Britaniya)
- Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) — NHS (Böyük Britaniya)