Now, how does modern medicine explain grinding or tightly clenching teeth through the night, known as bruxism? Surprisingly, many parts align with the wisdom of Donguibogam. Modern medicine largely divides bruxism into two types: sleep bruxism, which occurs during sleep, and awake bruxism, which involves unconsciously clenching teeth while awake.
Bruxism occurs through a complex interaction between the brain's central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system, rather than being just a jaw muscle issue. In particular, stress and anxiety are cited as the most powerful factors triggering and worsening bruxism. When we experience stress, stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are excessively secreted from the brain. These hormones place our body in a fight-or-flight state, tensing muscles throughout the body and heightening arousal. The muscles of mastication around the jaw are no exception. Even though the body falls asleep at night, the brain remains awake with stress hormones and maintains tension, causing one to clench the jaw tightly or grind the teeth.
An imbalance of neurotransmitters also plays an important role. Specifically, neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid play essential roles in regulating sleep-wake cycles and muscle tension. Stress or taking certain medications can disrupt the balance of these neurotransmitters, increasing the likelihood of bruxism. For example, changes in dopamine function are pointed to as one of the causes of bruxism.
Such continuous jaw muscle tension and excessive force cause various problems in our body. First, strain is placed on the temporomandibular joint, inducing temporomandibular joint disorders such as pain, clicking sounds, and restricted mouth opening. It also causes direct damage to teeth, resulting in tooth wear, cracks, and in severe cases, tooth fracture or loss. That is not all. Strain extends to the gums, worsening gingival recession and inflammation, and weakening the bone surrounding tooth roots. Furthermore, excessive use of jaw muscles can lead to headaches, neck pain, shoulder stiffness, and even tinnitus or dizziness.
What Donguibogam calls 'wind-heat' can be interpreted in modern medicine as inflammation from stress responses, nervous system hyperexcitability, and circulatory disorders. 'Damp-toxin' can be explained by waste accumulation from chronic muscle tension, micro-inflammatory responses, and the resulting muscle pain and hypofunction.
In conclusion, bruxism is not simply a dental condition, but a complex symptom closely linked to systemic stress responses. Modern medicine emphasizes that stress management is paramount not only to protect the health of your jaw and teeth, but also to enhance your quality of life.
