Why Do People Grind Their Teeth?

Bruxism or "teeth grinding" is a fairly common problem, with serious dental health consequences.

Many people in Peoria, IL, where I have my dental practice, have questions about teeth grinding and jaw clenching. It seems to be a rather common problem, more prevalent than you might realize.

Often patients are shocked when I ask them if their grind their teeth, because they have never considered this possibility, but I can see some potential signs of it.

When people have this issue, they can be grinding their teeth while asleep or when awake or both. Lots of people grind or clench from time to time, but when it becomes regular, you need to deal with it and try to stop it.

Mild cases aren't so bad, but severe cases can result in damage to teeth and jaws. Teeth grinders can also cause themselves to have headaches and other health problems. Bruxism may result in damage to natural teeth, crowns, partials, bridges, dentures, implants, and fillings.

Some patients grind their teeth so hard, they wake up their husband or wife in bed next to them. "What is that racket?" they ask and you don't know what they're talking about.

Every case of jaw clenching and teeth grinding must be considered individually, but the Mayo Clinic offers these possible causes:

• Emotions, such as anxiety, stress, anger, frustration, fear, or tension
• TMJ syndrome
• Abuse of alcohol or illegal drugs like cocaine, crack, Ecstasy, crystal meth, LSD, heroin, etc.
• Too much coffee, chocolate, or caffeinated beverages and foods
• Aggressive, competitive or hyperactive personality type
• Abnormal alignment of upper and lower teeth (malocclusion)
• Other sleep problems, such as sleep apnea
• Response to pain from an earache or teething (in children)
• Stomach acid reflux into the esophagus
• An uncommon side effect of some psychiatric medications, such as phenothiazines or certain antidepressants
• A coping strategy or focusing habit
• Complication resulting from a disorder such as Huntington's disease or Parkinson's disease

If you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, headache, or teeth feeling worn down, you may have bruxism.

Patients with bruxism need to stop chewing gum, munching on ice, and gnawing on pencils or other objects. 

Remedies can include mouth guards, exercises to reduce stress, massage, counseling to detect possible anger or frustration issues, fixing crooked teeth, replacing missing teeth, and even sedatives or sleeping pills.

If you suspect you may have this problem, be sure to contact a dentist immediately.