An increasing number of cases of teeth-grinding in debt-ridden Ireland were being blamed by dentists on patients’ financial worries.
Dentists believe that the increased levels of bruxism — the medical name for teeth-grinding — are due to stress brought on by Ireland’s economic crisis.
Dr Dermot Canavan of the Irish Dental Association says the condition is often linked to anxiety and stress, as well as excessive smoking, alcohol use and the consumption of too much coffee.
Photo: AFP
照片: 法新社
“While we don’t have exact figures I know from my own practice and from talking to other dentists that there has been a substantial increase in the number of patients suffering from this condition,” he said.
“From talking to patients it is clear many are facing severe financial pressures.”
Experts believe one in five people will grind their teeth at some time, most commonly at night, but dentists here say they are seeing numbers far in excess of that in many surgeries.
The symptoms of bruxism include headaches, tooth damage, earaches, and mouth and jaw pain.
Ireland’s economy has been hammered by the international financial crisis and the government has brought in a series of severe austerity budgets that have slashed spending and increased taxes.
The eurozone member had to seek an 85 billion euro rescue package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund as massive debt and deficit problems left the country on the verge of collapse.(AFP)
負債累累的愛爾蘭有越來越多的人磨牙,牙醫師則把這種現象歸咎於他們對財務狀況的憂心。
牙醫師相信夜間磨牙症─磨牙的醫學名稱─增加,是因為愛爾蘭經濟危機所致。
愛爾蘭牙醫協會的德莫‧卡納凡醫生表示,這種症狀通常與焦慮跟壓力有關,就像抽菸與飲酒過量,還有喝太多咖啡一樣。
他說,「雖然我們沒有正確的統計數字,但我從自身經驗,以及與其他牙醫師交流得知,苦於這種症狀的病人有明確增加的趨勢。」
「根據我跟病人聊天的結果,確實有許多人面臨嚴重財務壓力。」
專家相信有五分之一的人有時會磨牙,最常見的時候是在夜晚。但是牙醫師表示,他們於許多次門診中,見到實際情形遠遠超出這個數字。
夜間磨牙症的症狀包括頭痛、牙齒損壞、耳朵痛,以及口部跟齒顎疼痛等。
愛爾蘭的經濟遭國際金融危機重創,政府實施嚴重緊縮的預算政策,造成花費驟減稅收提高。
由於龐大的債務與赤字,使該國瀕臨瓦解,因此歐元會員國必須從歐洲聯盟與國際貨幣基金籌足八百五十億歐元(約新台幣三點三兆元)的解救方案。
(法新社/翻譯:吳岱璟)
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