According to statistics, grinds teeth inthe time of sleep every seventh person on our planet. So far, experts have not found the true cause of this phenomenon. Grinding of teeth in a dream can be heard from the bedroom of a person who is in a stressful condition, who has any bite defects, or who suffers from a violation of the depth of sleep. What is the root cause? And how dangerous is this phenomenon, for both children and adults?
Physiological gnashing of teeth in a dream occursbecause of the rhythmic contraction of the masticatory muscles, which is accompanied by a low creaking sound. In this case, changes in blood pressure, pulse, respiration and so on are noted. This phenomenon, like bruxism, is noted quite often - about a third of young children. And with an increase in their age, this percentage is significantly reduced.
There is a popular sign thatgrinding teeth in a dream is a sure sign of the presence of worms in the human body. However, no scientific justification for this opinion has yet been found. One of the working hypotheses, which is considered as an explanation of the cause of the emergence of bruxism, argues that a person can squeak in a dream because of some violation of the regulation of its depth. This assumption puts bruxism on a par with such phenomena as somnambulism, snoring in sleep, night enuresis and nightmares, tormenting a person in a dream.
Dentists put forward quite anotheran explanation of why you can hear the gnashing of teeth in a dream. The reasons, in their opinion, lie in the presence of any problems with the bite, or they may be the result of an inborn violation of the structure of the jaw apparatus itself. In children under the age of one year, the cause of bruxism can be not only a pathological jaw structure or an incorrect bite, but also a dentition. With cutting teeth, the baby's gums itch. And he, trying to eliminate the itching, involuntarily clenches his jaw.
Most psychologists agree thatcause bruxism can be a state of stress, whatever it is caused. In a state of stress, a person is internally tense, restless, excited even before going to bed. Therefore, gnashing of teeth in a dream can be a continuation of this stressful state at a subconscious level.
This hypothesis is also supported by the fact thatshort-term, about 10 seconds, periods of bruxism in a dream can also occur in perfectly healthy adults whose overall emotional background is positive. The reason for these short bursts of activity of the masticatory muscles can be a return at the subconscious level to some problem that requires resolution.
If the gnashing of teeth in a dream occurs due tostress, then you can get rid of this with the help of anti-stress measures. First of all, you need to eat regularly and limit the amount of carbohydrates and caffeine. Good help to deal with the stress of walking before going to bed in the fresh air and warm baths with the addition of the corresponding task of relaxing aromatic oils, as well as the competent construction of a work schedule, taking into account the time required for recreation. All this in aggregate will allow to prevent physical and nervous-psychological overload of the organism.
And, finally, the cause of bruxism can bea lack of calcium, magnesium and B vitamins, which increases the spasms of muscles at rest. In particular, this has to do with the state of the chewing muscles during sleep. In this case, bruxism can be completely eliminated by taking the appropriate vitamin and mineral complexes.
How serious can the consequences be?bruxism? In addition to the unpleasant sound coming from the bedroom, interfering with the rest of people around, this phenomenon can lead to the erasure of tooth enamel, bite defects, the appearance of pain in the muscles of the face, as well as a headache. Therefore, if the gnashing of teeth in a dream is seen by your child or from one of the relatives living with you, do not hesitate to contact specialists to solve this problem.
