The medical history (history of the patient) represents an important component in the diagnosis of bruxism.
Family history
- Are there any hereditary diseases in your family?
Social history
- Are you unemployed?
- Is there any evidence of psychosocial stress or strain due to your family situation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints) [medical history collection including bed partner].
- Has your bed partner noticed you grinding your teeth? Or has he/she noticed sounds of jaw clenching during your sleep?
- Are you aware of teeth grinding and/or jaw clenching and/or tightening/shifting of the lower jaw? If so,
- Have you observed or can you assess how often and when you grind your teeth?
- Do you suffer from pain
- Of the teeth?
- Of the chewing muscles?
- In the temporomandibular joints?
- In the neck muscles?
- Headache?
- Do you also have back pain?
- Do you have difficulty opening your mouth when you wake up in the morning?
- Have you noticed jaw cracking or jaw noises?
- Did your dentist detect any visible damage and/or wear to your teeth or oral cavity?
- Is there any hypersensitivity of the teeth?
- Are your teeth “loose”?
- Do you lose restorative materials (reconstructions, fillings) of your teeth for no apparent reason?
- Are you tired during the day?
- Do you have ringing in your ears?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Do you like to drink coffee, black or green tea? If so, how many cups per day?
- Do you drink other or additional caffeinated beverages? If so, how much of each?
- Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day? If you are now a non-smoker: When did you quit smoking and how many years did you smoke?
- Do you drink alcohol? If so, what drink(s) and how many glasses of it per day?
- Do you use drugs? If yes, what drugs and how often per day or per week?
Self-history
- Pre-existing conditions (sleep disorders, heartburn, reflux (reflux of acid gastric juice and other stomach contents into the esophagus (food pipe), snoring, sleep apnea/breathlessness during sleep).
- Allergies
Medication history
- Antidepressants
- Anticonvulsants
- Antipsychotics
- Antihistamines
- Dopaminergic drugs
- Cardio-active drugs
- Narcotics
