Bruxism (tooth grinding) is more common than many people realize. Most of us aren’t aware of it and often, we don’t believe we do it. Usually we aren’t even aware of it until it causes pain or large changes in our teeth. Most often, bruxism occurs at night during sleep. Some of us do it during the day when we’re under stress. Either way, the effect on our teeth can be detrimental. So what is bruxism? Simply, bruxism is clenching or grinding the teeth together.
What causes someone to grind? There are several reasons but the most common is stress! Stress can bring on increased clenching and grinding. Also, teeth that are not properly aligned can lead to grinding. Finally, certain medications can also be a trigger. Many of the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) anti-anxiety or antidepressant drugs are known to cause bruxism.
So why is it a problem? First of all, quality of life is affected. Bruxism can lead to chronic headaches, jaw pain, and stiff neck. Tightening the jaw muscles and keeping the teeth together can cause sore muscles. The sides of the face, temple area, and even the neck become affected. If the muscles are severely overworked, they can spasm. A muscle spasm can make the jaw feel like it is stuck. This is uncomfortable and a bit scary!
Secondly, grinding can causes changes in your teeth. With continued grinding, the teeth wear away and become shorter. Once the enamel (the white protective outside layer of the tooth) is worn away, the teeth wear down much faster. This is because the inside of the tooth is softer than the enamel and it takes less force to destroy it.
You may also notice a “notching” on the teeth near the gums that looks like an axe chopping a tree. These notches can affect the strength of the teeth and may need to be filled if they get too deep.
Thirdly, the bite can be affected. Over the years, grinding can wear away a lot of tooth structure. The teeth can become much shorter than their original size. Teeth that are worn away don’t come together like they did before. Your jaw needs to function differently to accommodate the shorter teeth and can cause even more headaches and muscle soreness.
Finally, grinding can contribute to recession of the gums. This means the gum tissue moves away from the teeth and the teeth look longer. That moving gum tissue is following the bone that’s supposed to be holding the teeth in place. So if there’s less bone, the foundation for the teeth is compromised and could lead to tooth loss.
So what can we do? Identifying the cause is the best first step. It’s always best to eliminate what is causing the problem. If stress is causing you to grind, reducing the stress or finding healthy ways to deal with the stress may decrease your grinding. If misaligned teeth are leading to grinding, then talk to your dentist about braces to put your teeth in the right place. If medications are the cause, talk to your physician about the possibility of using an alternative medication.
If you have muscle pain, you can use warm compresses can help alleviate jaw pain. A softer diet that’s easy to chew and avoiding foods that force your jaw to open really wide is helpful. Over the counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen can help as well.
Usually even if we can identify the cause, it’s not enough to prevent us from grinding. A lot of people who grind, never experience any pain so regular dental check-ups are important so that changes in wear can be found early. If Dr. Berry suspects bruxism, she will probably recommend a night guard. A custom fit night guard is comfortable and usually relieves jaw pain and muscle soreness. A night guard won’t stop the grinding ; it will keep the muscles relaxed and protect the teeth from being worn down. Overtime, this means less costly treatment to repair tooth damage caused by grinding.