How to stop teeth-grinding … with a little help from Botox

Even the name sounds painful – bruxism, the unconscious grinding and clenching of the teeth that mostly takes place while we are asleep. It affects about one in four adults, with symptoms that can include an aching jaw, headaches, gum problems and the danger of tooth enamel being eroded.

The pressure on the teeth during grinding can be 20 times greater than the force used in normal chewing and biting. As a result, the incisors can end up shorter with sharp edges and tiny chip marks, and the canines can be covered in notches. Teeth can also work loose and fillings be gouged out.

Treatment for bruxism has been basic, with sufferers usually having to wear a mouth guard. But Botox injections, more commonly associated with cosmetic procedures, are now being used as a way of keeping it under control.

Botulinum toxin type A (from which Botox takes its brand name) is a purified form of Clostridium botulinum – a bacteria that causes food poisoning. It inhibits the release of certain chemicals at the junction between a nerve and a muscle when injected, so the message for the muscle to work is blocked and it relaxes. The effects last for about four months.

Botox is approved for treating the painful symptoms caused by muscle spasticity in 20 different neurological conditions, including stroke and cerebral palsy. A number of studies have shown it could also be an effective treatment for bruxism. There are three sets of muscles involved in moving the jaw. They can become overactive, causing the jaw to clench unconsciously. By injecting enough Botox into these muscles, they become relaxed.

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