Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

Bruxism, more commonly known as tooth grinding, is the clenching together of the bottom and upper jaw accompanied by the grinding of the lower set of teeth with the upper set.

Bruxism is a common subconscious habit that affects approximately 10 – 50 % of the population and can affect people of all ages. It occurs more frequently in children, and many people will outgrow it by adulthood but not all people do – especially if you add the emotional causes that can bring on bruxism. Bruxism is a subconscious behavior and many people don’t even realize that they are doing it.

Although it can occur during the waking hours, bruxism most frequently occurs while we sleep. During sleep the biting force (the force at which the jaws clench together) can be up to six times greater than during waking hours. Consequently, significant damage is likely to occur.

Bruxism is frequently related to stress or other emotional symptoms.

Symptoms & signs of bruxism

The muscles used to chew food are the same ones responsible for bruxism. If you’ve been grinding your teeth in your sleep, you may experience these physical symptoms:

• Bruxism can lead to pain and cause damage to teeth, gums and other parts of the mouth
• Jaw and cheek muscles often feel sore or tender in the morning.
• Tightness of the jaw.
• Headaches, ear-aches or neck pain.
• As the enamel of the tooth is worn away by bruxism, the underlying dentin layer of the tooth is exposed. This causes the tooth to become sensitive to cold, pressure and other stimuli.
• The high pressure created from bruxism can fracture teeth and crack fillings.
• Bruxism can cause damage to the temporomandibular (TMJ) joint. This is the “hinge” which connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw allowing use to chew and talk.

You are at risk of bruxism if you experience the following:

• Stress
• Anger management issues
• Anxiety
• Certain mental health disorders such as: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Certain medical disorders such as: Parkinson’s disease, dementia gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), epilepsy sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea