Why do I love grinding my teeth?

Why do people grind their teeth? Stress and anxiety are big contributing factors, but sometimes, there is no clear reason why someone grinds their teeth . People with certain lifestyle habits, like smoking, alcohol, and excess caffeine consumption, are more likely to grind their teeth.

What is the number one cause of teeth grinding?

Causes include stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and certain medications . Most people who grind their teeth can ease symptoms with a custom mouth guard.

Why does my girlfriend grind her teeth in her sleep?

The airway narrows during sleep, triggering a stress response that prompts the jaw to jut forward as a reflexive response to the change in air intake . The reflex of pushing the jaw forward allows air to flow freely, but an unfortunate side effect is teeth grinding.

Why does it feel good to clench my teeth?

Anxiety – Children with anxiety disorders or long-term stress can also develop the habit as a coping mechanism . Stress – Many adults also have high levels of prolonged stress and take it out on their teeth, whether awake or asleep. Muscle tension isn't restricted to teeth.

What vitamin deficiency causes teeth grinding?

What deficiency causes teeth grinding? One small study found that people with bruxism have lower levels of vitamin D and low amounts of calcium in their diets.

What is the root cause of teeth grinding?

What causes bruxism? Oral health specialists often point to too much stress and certain personality types as causes of bruxism. Bruxism often affects people with nervous tension, such as anger, pain, or frustration. It also affects people with aggressive, hurried, or overly competitive tendencies.

Does teeth grinding ever go away?

While there is no cure to completely stop teeth grinding, treatment can reduce its frequency. View Source , decrease its impact, and relieve symptoms. In addition, home care tips can make it easier to cope with sleep bruxism.

Why do adults grind their teeth at night?

Bruxism can be associated with some mental health and medical disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), epilepsy, night terrors, sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

How do I train my jaw to stop clenching?

Chin tucks can help strengthen your jaw and may help correct TMJ issues. To perform chin tucks, tuck your head down, bringing your chin close to your chest. While keeping your top and bottom teeth apart, push your chin back so your head returns to its normal position. Repeat this motion 15 times, three times a day.

What is the emotional reason for teeth grinding?

The grinding of teeth has long been held as one physical manifestation of stress and anxiety . For example, individuals who grind their teeth tend to report more symptoms of anxiety and depression than non-bruxers (Gungormus & Erciyas, 2009; Manfredini, Landi, Romagnoli, & Bosco, 2004).

What does grinding teeth symbolize?

If you grind your teeth while you're awake, it's probably linked to stress or anxiety in your daily life . You might also do it when you're concentrating hard. Grinding your teeth while asleep is considered a "sleep related movement disorder." It starts as a problem in your central nervous system.

Is grinding your teeth good for you?

Chronic, involuntary teeth grinding – technically called bruxism – can lead to all sorts of health problems . You could crack or fracture your teeth, which may require crowns or dental implants. You could also wear down the enamel on your teeth, leading to periodontal disease or lost teeth.

Why do girls grind their teeth?

Nighttime grinding is sometimes related to hyperactivity, sleep apnea, or acid reflux , and can appear as a side effect of certain medications intended to treat depression. Also, tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, and illicit drugs can increase teeth-grinding risk.

Teeth grinding (2024)

Mouth and teeth

Summary

Read the full fact sheet

Teeth grinding (bruxism) is involuntary clenching, grinding and gnashing of the teeth that usually happens during sleep.
Causes can include stress, concentration and use of illegal drugs.
Treatments include bite splints (to be worn at night), repair of tooth damage, and stress management therapy.

About teeth grinding

Bruxism is the involuntary clenching, grinding and gnashing of the teeth. About half of the population does it from time to time. Around 5% of the population are regular, forceful tooth grinders. Often it happens during sleep, but some people grind their teeth when they are awake.

Usually, a person doesn’t realise that they grind their teeth in their sleep. The partner who shares their bed (and hears the grinding noises at night) is often the first to notice the problem. Parents may also hear it in their sleeping children. Teeth grinding can be a result of stress. For example, some people grind their teeth when they are angry, concentrating or feeling anxious.

Symptoms of teeth grinding

Signs and symptoms of teeth grinding include:

headache, jaw joint and/or ear pain
aching teeth, particularly just after waking up
aching and/or stiffness of the face and temples just after waking up
aching or stiffness in the jaws while chewing, particularly during breakfast
clenching the jaw when angry, anxious or concentrating
temperature-sensitive teeth
cracked or chipped tooth enamel
tooth indentations on the tongue
raised tissue on the inside of the cheek caused by biting
loose teeth.

Signs of teeth grinding

Problems caused by teeth grinding may include:

cracked tooth enamel
more wear and tear on the teeth than is normal
broken teeth or broken restorations (for example, fillings)
strain on the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint)
pain in the jaw joint or limited movement
sore jaw muscles
tooth loss (rare)
enlargement of the jaw muscles (rare)
teeth being more sensitive to hot and cold things.

Risk Factors for tooth grinding

Stress and anxiety
Alcohol
Smoking
Caffeine
Snoring
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Drugs: Antidepressants, anti-psychotics, amphetamines, cocaine

Your dentist or other oral health professional can assess the influence of these factors.

Teeth grinding in children

Many parents will have noticed the sound of their children grinding their teeth at some point, often as they sleep. However, because children’s teeth and jaws change and grow so quickly it’s not usually a damaging habit that requires treatment and most outgrow it as they get older.

The main risk factors for tooth grinding in children include:

Pain when teeth are coming through
Emotional stress and anxiety
Medications such as antidepressants, anti-psychotics
Medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Many of the signs that children grind their teeth are the same as for adults

The management of teeth grinding in children depends of the amount of wear, the child’s age, the symptoms experienced and the needs of the child and parent or care giver. A dentist or other oral health professional is best placed to make a full assessment of each child’s situation.

Treatment for teeth grinding

If you think you grind your teeth, speak with your dentist or other oral health professional. They will look at your teeth and talk about possible treatment options that may include:

repair of tooth damage
rule out other types of tooth wear such as erosion
assessment of risk factors including sleep disordered breathing
a special mouthguard (‘bite splint’) to wear at night so that the guard is worn down instead of your teeth. In most cases, a bite splint will only help with the symptoms and will not stop you from grinding altogether.

Management of bruxism can include:

Where to get help

Your dentist
Dental Health Services Victoria provides public dental services through the Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne and community dental clinics, for eligible people. For more information about public dental services Tel. (03) 9341 1000, or 1800 833 039 outside Melbourne metro
Australian Dental Association ‘Find a Dentist’ search function or Tel. (03) 8825 4600
Psychologist, to help with stress management
Physiotherapist

Bruxism, Medline Plus, National Institute of Health. USA.
Teeth grinding, Australian Dental Association.
Balasubramaniam R, Paesani D, Koyano K et al. 2017, ‘Sleep bruxism’ in C Farah, R Balasubramaniam, M McCullough. (eds), Contemporary Oral Medicine, Springer International Publishing.
Manfredini D, Serra-Negra J, Carboncini F, Lobbezoo F 2017, ‘Current concepts of bruxism’, The International Journal of Prosthodontics, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 437–438.
Manfredini D, Restrepo C, Diaz-Serrano K, Winocur E, Lobbezoo F. Prevalence of Sleep Bruxism in Children: A Systemic Review of the Literature Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. 2013; 40(8): 631-642
Reis LO, Ribeiro RA, Martins CC, DeVito KL. Association between Bruxism and Temporomandibular Disorders in Children: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis, International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2019; 29:585-595
Davies SJ, Gray RJM, Qualtrough AJE. Management of Tooth Surface Loss, British Dental Journal. 2002; 192(1): 11-23
Harley K. Tooth wear in the child and youth British Dental Journal. 1999; 186 (10): 492-486

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Reviewed on: 27-11-2020