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00:12
Hey everyone, it's Mikki here. You're listening to Mini Mikkipedia on a Monday. And this Monday I want to chat about teeth grinding or bruxism. And this came up in a conversation I had with Hubster actually in the last week. And we were just chatting. He's like, oh, I think I'm grinding my teeth. He says my jaw feels a little bit sore. And sort of got me interested in it. And I was just...

00:40
surveying the net as you do and came across a paper actually, a review paper about bruxism. So bruxism is a condition where people grind, clench or thrust their jaw and it affects most people actually at some point in their lives but only a quarter of people actually receive any sort of help for it, you know, pharmaceutical help or potentially

01:07
manipulation and that kind of thing. And the reason why I'm chatting about it today is because there are in fact nutrients related to bruxism and deficiencies in or potentially supplementation with these nutrients can help improve symptoms. So basic bruxism, it happens in two forms. So it can happen while you're awake and while you're asleep. And of course,

01:34
If you have ever sort of been in a stressful situation or feel really tense, I know this has happened to me and suddenly I'm like, oh, I am clenching my drawer and I'm grinding my teeth. So the awake type affects around 22 to 31% of people and about 13% of people actually experience bruxism whilst asleep. Interestingly, women are more likely to experience it than men with a ratio of about five to one.

02:02
Stress and emotional problems are common causes of bruxism. Stress can make muscles in the head tighter and increase unwanted muscle activity. People under stress may have more jaw muscle activity and feel more pain. And when we are stressed, our bodies release more cortisol, the stress hormone. This is seen in people with bruxism, actually. So stress can lead also to more muscle activity in the jaw, which goes back to normal when you're relaxed.

02:32
And the mechanism, or at least the association between cortisol, bruxism, and muscle activity is supported by both animal and human studies. Interestingly, some neurological conditions and medicines affecting serotonin receptors in the brain might also contribute to bruxism. And these receptors play a role in controlling our facial muscles. Two key parts of the brain that are involved in bruxism are the mesencephalic

03:01
trigenomal nucleus, which controls a reflex that stops jaw clenching, and the mesocortical dopaminergic pathway which helps prevent unwanted muscle movements. And stress affects these brain areas, so under short term stress the brain follows one pathway, but with long term stress different parts of the brain get involved and this leads to changes that might contribute to bruxism.

03:28
indicated certain nutrients can influence the brain pathway that controls muscle movement, which again could impact bruxism. And this is, I suppose, the reason why people are interested in looking at nutrients related to teeth grinding or bruxism. So it's a jaw clenching condition often linked to stress, affecting many people, especially women. And bruxism involves complex interactions between stress, brain pathways, and hormones.

03:57
Chronic stress can cause significant changes and damage to the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. This can lead to increased sensitivity to pain, impulsivity, and potentially contribute to conditions like bruxism. Long term stress in high levels of corticosterone, which is a stress hormone, can harm the brain's hippocampus, which is the area crucial for memory and learning. Stress can reduce the growth of new neurons.

04:23
affect neuron development and decrease cell survival in this area. And oxidative stress, which happens when certain chemicals in the body become imbalanced, can damage the brain as well. And that's caused by the breakdown of certain neurotransmitters, which can then lead to inflammation and degeneration of brain cells. All of this damage affects the hippocampus' ability to regulate the stress response system in our body.

04:49
which of course just perpetuates that cycle and leads to further stress and damage. So changes in the brain's pathways and dopamine levels, and dopamine as you know as a neurotransmitter, can also increase pain sensitivity and impulsivity. Dopamine is crucial for regulating mood and movement. So the chronic stress that changes activity of certain brain regions, increasing excitability and neurotransmission in areas related to jaw movement,

05:19
leads to increased muscle activity in the jaw, and that is that potential link between stress and bruxism. Studies have found increased signs of neurodegeneration in people with bruxism, including changes in the retina, which is connected to the brain, which suggests that bruxism might be linked to these broader brain changes.

05:42
And also bruxism is often occurs alongside other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease indicating its possible link with neurodegenerative processes. There's also evidence of increased oxidative stress in people with bruxism which could contribute to the neurodegeneration. And that's indicated by higher levels of enzymes and neurotransmitters in the individual's body. And then getting to the nutrients.

06:12
Vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and omega-3 may influence bruxism and the relationships here which I'll about to go into have been studied in this sort of context. So all four of those nutrients are crucial to the healthy functioning of the central nervous system. Vitamin D is not just important for bones and muscles but also benefits the nervous system. And it plays a key role in managing calcium and phosphorus.

06:41
It helps in brain protection and supports brain health in several ways via neuroimmune modulation. So it's involved in the immune response in the brain. It also helps the formation and maintenance of neural connections. So it's involved in neuroplasticity, helps reduce oxidative stress and protects the brain from oxidative stress. And it does influence about 3% of the human genome, impacting neurotransmission and neuroprotection.

07:09
so vitamin D is involved in gene expression. Vitamin D also protects brain cells that produce dopamine, which is that neurotransmitter I mentioned earlier. It may influence dopamine synthesis and increase protective proteins for these neurons. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to anxiety and depression, and deficiency in vitamin D may also relate to reduced brain volume, particularly in the hippocampus, which is critical for memory and emotional regulation.

07:37
And research suggests a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and bruxism, especially sleep bruxism. Low vitamin D levels can disrupt calcium balance in the body, potentially leading to muscle spasms and cramps, which may contribute to that jaw clenching and teeth grinding of bruxism. There's also a link between vitamin D and temporomandibular disorders, or TMD. So low vitamin D levels are also...

08:05
associated with TMD, which is a condition involving jaw pain and dysfunction. And supplementation with vitamin D may help in reducing neurological and muscular pain associated with these conditions. And finally, vitamin D insufficiency is related to stress and this can be due to various bodily responses to stress such as changes in calcium levels which vitamin D helps regulate.

08:33
So in summary with vitamin D then, it is not only vital for physical health but also for maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Its deficiency can be linked to several neurological conditions including bruxism and TMD and it plays a role in managing the body's response to stress. So it is not a stretch to imagine that if you are low vitamin D then that is something to correct if you also experience bruxism.

09:01
Magnesium is of course another super important nutrient and it's a crucial memory in our bodies involved in over 325 enzyme reactions, many of which are essential for the nervous system. It's important for energy production, cell growth, nerve signal transmission and muscle movement. During stress, the body's hormonal balance changes, leading to oxidative stress which can damage cells.

09:29
counteract this by stabilizing stress hormone receptors, reducing release of stress-related hormones, and lowering the activity of brain areas sensitive to stress. When you have low levels of magnesium, this can increase our sensitivity to stress and lead to the release of inflammatory substances, which can cause anxiety, hyperactivity, and reduced serotonin, which is a mood-regulating neurotransmitter.

09:55
Magnesium can help in the synthesis of neurochemicals and neurotransmitters. A deficiency in magnesium can also disrupt sleep, cause headaches and increase anxiety. It's linked to symptoms like neuromuscular irritability, emotional changes and sleep disturbances. Research shows that people with bruxism also have low magnesium levels.

10:20
Low magnesium is also related to conditions like migraines and tension type headaches, which are associated with bruxism. So there is a lot of these sort of crossover symptoms when people have low magnesium. So it plays a critical role in maintaining brain and nervous system health and helps regulate that stress response.

10:42
Magnesium helps to reduce the negative effects of calcium influx in neurons, so it has a neuroprotective role and counteracts cell damage caused by stress-induced chemicals. So you can see that magnesium plays a critical role in maintaining brain and nervous system health. It can help regulate stress responses, support neurotransmitter function, and can mitigate the impacts of conditions like bruxism. When you're deficient, it can lead to increased

11:10
anxiety and various neurological symptoms. So in addition to vitamin D then magnesium is another critical mineral. Iron is the next one on my list and iron is linked to a number of neurological conditions. The first and probably more well-known one is it's linked to restless leg syndrome which is a neurological disorder marked by involuntary muscle movements.

11:36
It's associated with issues in the mesocortical dopaminergic pathway, which might also be involved in sleep bruxism, as I mentioned earlier. And in fact, there is a debate about whether bruxism is in fact a form of restless leg syndrome or if they are separate but related conditions. Both of them occur during non-REM sleep and may involve basal ganglia dysfunction. And brain iron deficiency plays a key role in restless leg syndrome.

12:04
Conditions like anemia and pregnancy, which are associated with systemic iron deficiency, have high links to restless leg syndrome, and this is more common in females than it is in males. Symptoms of iron deficiency include tiredness, poor sleep quality, and reduced daytime energy. And iron therapy can be effective for restless leg syndrome, especially when peripheral iron levels are low.

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And stress can also reduce serum iron levels significantly, which may exacerbate restless leg symptoms. So iron plays an important role in these neurological functions and deficiencies that can lead to conditions like restless leg syndrome which share some of the characteristics of bruxism. Iron deficiency impacts energy levels and brain function and treatment with iron can be

12:59
mineral has in neurological health, but also potentially in mitigating the symptoms associated with bruxism because they're such closely related conditions. And then finally there's omega-3s, which are so well known for their health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for the brain, especially in areas like the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. They are vital for the structure and function of brain cell membranes and play a significant role in brain development and synaptic function.

13:29
They're also implicated in managing anxiety and mood disorders and may play a role in reducing neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. And we know that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids can affect brain structure and function and lead to impaired brain cell growth and synaptic activity, particularly in the hippocampus. Deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids can mimic the effect of chronic stress on the brain

13:55
and impact stress response systems that lead to neuronal changes and increased anxiety. And omega-3 fatty acids influence the microglial cells, which are essential for brain health. Deficiency can cause abnormal microglial activation, leading to increased inflammation. So, supplementation with omega-3s can reduce inflammation, promote brain health, and have shown potential in reducing symptoms of neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation.

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and there is evidence that omega-3 supplementation can reduce migraine symptoms. So with regards to bruxism, omega-3s have been shown to reduce anxiety in levels of corticosterone and since stress and anxiety are known contributors to bruxism, reducing these factors could potentially alleviate bruxism symptoms. And if bruxism is associated with or causing neuropathic pain, omega-3 supplementation might help by reducing this pain.

14:52
which could lead to less involuntary jaw clenching or grinding. And since morning headaches can be a symptom of bruxism, the ability of omega-3s to reduce the frequency and severity of these headaches may indirectly indicate a positive effect on bruxism. So while omega-3 fatty acids are not directly linked to curing bruxism, it may not be as direct as some of these other minerals, their benefits in reducing anxiety, stress, and

15:17
pain and associated symptoms could potentially help in managing or reducing severity of bruxism. So hopefully this highlights the importance of those non-pharmacological approaches in addressing imbalances and deficiencies in vital nutrients like vitamin D, magnesium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, and potentially influencing the symptoms associated with bruxism.

15:43
So these nutrients are recognised for their neuroprotective abilities, their effectiveness in reducing oxidative stress and their role in inhibiting stress response systems like the hypothalamic-perturatory-adrenal axis and the locus-corelius axis. Now the locus-corelius axis is a small nucleus in the brain stem that plays a crucial role in the body's response to stress and panic. So these nutrients are particularly noted for their positive impact on brain health

16:12
especially in promoting the growth and plasticity of neurons in the hippocampus, which is evident in the case of omega-3 fatty acids. And then on the other hand, reduced levels of vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and omega-3s in the brain are linked with neurodegeneration, heightened anxiety, increased neuromuscular excitability, bruxism, muscle spasms, and pain.

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and potentially tailored supplementation of these nutrients may lessen neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms. So future research ideally would aim to determine whether changes in these nutrient levels are a direct cause or a result of the chronic stress related to bruxism and how restoring these nutrient levels may affect the development and the persistence of it. So I suppose my advice for anyone with teeth grinding and jaw clenching

17:06
and some of those other symptoms like morning headaches and things like that, check your levels. So you can check your levels of omega-3s or at least your omega-3 fatty acid index via serum or blood, vitamin D by blood, which is one of the best ways for us to detect it. Magnesium can be tested via blood but also urine metabolites and iron of course can be tested by

17:37
These are some nutrient markers that you can explore. And in the absence of actually getting tested, actually taking vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids completely safe. So you've got nothing to lose from just supplementing these things. I would, however, get an iron test because too much iron can lead to increased oxidative stress in the system as well. So that's one that you do want to be mindful of, but the other three should be no problems at all.

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So hopefully this was insightful for you and any questions or any comments please don't hesitate to contact me. I am on Instagram, threads and Twitter @mikkiwilliden, Facebook @mikkiwillidennutrition. Head to my website, mikkiwilliden.com and we can go from there. Alright guys, you have a great week.