Bruxism (grinding teeth) | Effects of

Bruxism, commonly referred to as grinding teeth, is when you clench your upper jaw and lower jaw together, accompanied by the grinding of your lower teeth with the upper teeth. Bruxism most often occurs at night and many people aren't even aware that they are grinding their teeth in their sleep.

Bruxism is very common in children. Many children grind their teeth in response to the pain and discomfort of other ailments such as a cold, ear infection, or allergies. Bruxism in children is usually a passing phase that the child will grow out of.

If bruxism is left untreated, it can lead to pain, damage to teeth and gums, and to the jaw muscles. This includes:

Headaches, ear aches, and sore facial muscles
The same muscles that are used to chew food are also responsible for bruxism. By morning, these muscles can feel sore, tender, or very tight. The pain commonly manifests itself as an ear ache, headache, or even neck pain.

Sensitive teeth
Because of the grinding action, the hard tooth enamel is worn away exposing the dentin underneath. This layer of the tooth is very sensitive to cold, pressure, air, and other stimuli.

Cracked teeth, fillings, and other restorations
Because bruxism most often occurs at night while you sleep, the biting force, (the force at which the jaws clench together) can be up to six times greater than the pressure during waking hours. As a result of this high pressure, natural teeth, fillings, and other restorations such as crowns and bridges, can begin to weaken and crack or become loose.

Cosmetic damage
Bruxism is the wearing away of the hard tooth enamel. Because the teeth do not wear evenly, many people who suffer from bruxism have teeth that appear to be jagged or mishapened. The teeth that are affected the most may often appear to be shorter than other teeth in the mouth.

Temporomandibular Joint Damage (TMJ)
The temporomandibular joint is where the bottom jaw connects to the skull. This joint allows us to chew and speak. Whenever the teeth are uneven or the face and jaw muscles are stressed due to the constant clenching and grinding motion, this places uneven pressure on the joint muscle which can lead to stress, pain, and wear in the joint. As a result, some people suffer from 'clicking' whenever the jaw is opened and closed, the joint muscle can lock, or the person may suffer from constant pain in the joint, ear, or neck.


Consult with your dentist if you feel that you are suffering from bruxism. Your dentist can make a special appliance called a nightguard that you can wear while you sleep. A nightguard is a plastic appliance that fits over your teeth. The nightguard is designed to take the force and abuse of grinding that your teeth would normally endure during sleep. The use of a nightguard will minimize the damage to your teeth and muscles caused by bruxism.

Your dentist may also talk to you about adjusting your teeth as well as teach you how to properly position your tongue to help reduce grinding of your teeth.

Stress and anxiety also play a major role in bruxism. Your dentist may recommend stress management techniques or lifestyle changes to help reduce stress and anxiety. By carefully monitoring and controlling the stress you can often dramatically reduce bruxism.

Reducing how much alcohol you drink can also help in reducing bruxism since alcohol has been shown to worsen bruxism.