Bruxism, stress, and cannabis: What's the association?
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned in this text, you are likely a bruxism patient and therapeutic use of cannabis can help you
By Cynthia de Carlo
Today I start the column by asking some questions. Do you, dear reader, have the habit of clenching your teeth? Do you tend to bite objects, jut your jaw forward and to the side? Press your cheek and bite your lips? Grind your teeth?
Do you snore? Have limited mouth opening? Wake up tired, with facial pain, swollen face? Have headaches?
If you answered yes to some of the above questions, congratulations, you are most likely a BRUXOMALO patient, in other words, you have BRUXISM!
You may already be aware of this diagnosis, and have been or are being treated with occlusal adjustments, bite splints, or even botox injections. What you may not know is that only your symptoms are being treated, not the causes.
Bruxism is a topic of great interest to specialists in various health fields and therefore continues to be studied.
It is proven to be one of the most important stresses on the masticatory system. Psychosocial and behavioral factors, such as personality type, are closely involved in this pathology.
Bruxism has also come to be considered a manifestation of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), a sleep disorder, a behavioral disorder, associated with stress, or even a movement disorder.
The consequences involve dental wear, fractures, muscle hypertrophy, general fatigue, extreme tiredness, and pronounced nervousness.
Being considered as a psychic escape valve, the bruxism patient must take some measures and steps to adjust their attitudes towards stress and anxiety to control it.
There is a study with students studying at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova associating this condition with stress and anxiety, especially for awake bruxism.
These students showed signs of dental wear caused by grinding, tooth sensitivity, and also signs of temporomandibular dysfunction, with pain in the masticatory muscles or neck muscles. All this manifestation was verified due to the increase in stress levels in the college students.
Well, what about cannabis? Thanks to the properties of medicinal cannabis, we have one of the most potent and promising treatments for this condition.
The plant has over 500 chemical compounds belonging to different groups, such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and amino acids. The major cannabinoids in the plant: CBD and THC act as potent anti-inflammatories, analgesics, muscle relaxants, and also have antinociceptive properties in reducing spasticity and painful spasms. However, it is due to the combined action of the plant's phytocannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and amino acids that we obtain a better result, due to the “entourage effect”.
Medicinal cannabis has proven efficacy in treating bruxism because with it, we healthcare professionals treat not only the symptoms but also the causes of the disease.
Therefore, dear reader, do not worry if you have identified with the above picture, because thanks to the advances and relentless studies of cannabis, new components and properties of this wonderful plant are discovered every day, bringing security for new qualified and trained professionals in this new therapeutic alternative.
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The opinions expressed in this article are personal and the responsibility of the authors.
About the author:
Cynthia De Carlo is a dentist, graduated 31 years ago from UNITAU, with postgraduate studies in Periodontics, Implantology, and Pediatrics. She is a dentist at CECMedic (Center of Excellence in Cannabinoids) and a member of SBEC (Brazilian Society of Cannabis Studies).