It is popularly held that grinding of the teeth at night, especially in children, is an indication of the presence of intestinal worms, particularly Oxyuris vermicularis.
Parasites may also cause sleep bruxism. Multiple studies link parasites (sometimes called “digestive parasites” or “worms”) to nighttime grinding.
Such symptoms as nervousness, insomnia, and teeth grinding are typically ascribed to Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides8 and other parasites.
Studies have suggested that bruxism may be more prevalent in the presence of intestinal parasites. At this stage, the research is not conclusive, and it's uncertain whether parasites CAUSE teeth grinding.
It has also been found that certain allergies may cause grinding of teeth in children. Pinworms are also believed to be a trigger for this condition. Certain sleep disorders are linked to teeth grinding.
Pinworm infection (called enterobiasis or oxyuriasis) causes itching around the anus which can lead to difficulty sleeping and restlessness. Symptoms are caused by the female pinworm laying her eggs. Symptoms of pinworm infection usually are mild and some infected people have no symptoms.
Bruxism can be associated with some mental health and medical disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), epilepsy, night terrors, sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Unequivocally, bruxism is both a medical and a dental issue. This affliction spans a wide array of possible variants, weaving in genetics, lifestyle, pharmaceutical usage, personality, vitamin deficiency, sleep cycles, and neurological threads.
Trichomonas tenax belongs to the Trichomonas family and is a parasite commonly found in the oral cavity. They feed off the purulent and necrotic tissue in the gums' affected areas - proliferating as gum disease worsens.
Itching and a localized rash are often the first signs of infection. These symptoms occur when the larvae penetrate the skin. A person with a light infection may have no symptoms. A person with a heavy infection may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and anemia.
What causes bruxism? Oral health specialists often point to too much stress and certain personality types as causes of bruxism. Bruxism often affects people with nervous tension, such as anger, pain, or frustration. It also affects people with aggressive, hurried, or overly competitive tendencies.
These can present with diverse clinical manifestations, including seizures, focal deficits, mass effect, and intracranial hypertension, and can also cause complications such as vasculitis, stroke, hydrocephalus, and others.
Stress and anxiety are common causes of muscle tension. A person may clench their jaw or grind their teeth without noticing it, when stressed, and over time this can cause the muscles to tighten up. Stress or anxiety can also cause a person to clench their fists or lead to tension in the shoulder and neck muscles.
If bruxism goes untreated, it may lead to jaw muscle and joint problems. These are known as TMJ problems or TMD (temporomandibular disorder). You could even lose your teeth.
As both a neuromuscular and dental disorder, bruxism crosses specialty lines. Physicians (including neurologists) are not typically trained in evaluation of TMD related issues and many dentists lack specialized training (with the exception of treating malocclusion and preventing tooth damage).
While most of the nocturnal bruxism cases seen in the general population are apparently idiopathic, it has been reported to be associated with a range of neurological diseases such as Hun- tington's disease, cranio-cervical dystonia and post-anoxic brain damage, but not multiple sclerosis (MS).
In relation to Parkinson's, the rigidity and spasms of the disease itself can affect the muscles of the jaw, causing the jaw to clamp shut. This, in turn, puts tremendous force on the teeth and can cause them to wear down over time or even break.
Redness, pain, and swelling occur at the sites of the stings. The stings look like flat red lesions (macules) and solid raised bumps (papules), some of which may contain pus (pustules).
Symptoms may include diarrhoea, tiredness and weakness, abdominal pain and weight loss. Some worms cause anaemia.
The best way to diagnose this infection is to do a tape test. The best time to do this is in the morning before bathing, because pinworms lay their eggs at night. Steps for the test are: Firmly press the sticky side of a 1-inch (2.5 centimeters) strip of cellophane tape over the anal area for a few seconds.