Even with Bruxism, You Can Have a More Relaxed, Healthy Jaw
Teeth grinding (Bruxism)
Most people would know if they have bruxism, but professional diagnosis may involve discussing your symptoms and lifestyle factors. You may discover your teeth-grinding or jaw clenching following a dental examination: Dentists and dental hygienists are trained to look for signs of tooth wear, damage, as well as tenderness of the mouth and jaw muscle. In a thorough investigation by your G.P, any infection should be cleared up and a sleep study recommended to rule out sleep disorders.
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a common unwanted behaviour. Up to a third of children and adults grind their teeth, and as much as one in ten adults grind their teeth in their sleep. For children, the most common cause is when their baby and adult teeth start to come in. For adults, it can be a response to stress and anxiety, or a result of sleep problems, certain medications, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Chronic teeth grinding can damage your teeth and jaw, so it is important to seek help.
A professional diagnosis will assess your symptoms and lifestyle factors. Your diagnosis may come from a dental examination where your dentist or hygienist has noticed classic signs, such as tooth wear, damage, and mouth and jaw tenderness. There is a risk of infection with chronic bruxism, so make sure you get checked out if you have any redness or soreness. Before you are diagnosed with bruxism your GP should assess whether you have a sleep condition, as these can cause the same symptoms.
Understanding Teeth Grinding
The causes of teeth grinding are most commonly stress and anxiety. However, many other factors may affect it:
- Sleep Problems such as snoring and sleep apnea;
- Certain Medications: such as antidepressants and psychostimulants;
- Smoking;
- Drinking lots of alcohol;
- Drinking lots of caffeine: (more than six cups a day);
- Taking recreational drugs: Taking recreational drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine.
Age is an important consideration in bruxism, as children and teenagers will commonly grind their teeth in their sleep until their adult teeth have properly come through.
Health Risks of Bruxism
Excessive teeth grinding can put a lot of strain on your teeth and jaw. This can cause damage to your teeth, jaw ache, headaches, earaches, tinnitus, pain when eating and difficulties opening and closing your mouth.
If you are experiencing persistent jaw pain, headaches, or tooth damage it’s important that you talk to a professional so they can help you. Seeing them early can stop the damage from worsening and you can start to improve your quality of life quicker.
Effective strategies to stop teeth grinding
Start a diary of when you find yourself grinding your teeth to understand your triggers. Do you grind more when you’re stressed? Do you wake up feeling like you’ve been grinding in your sleep after drinking alcohol? If there is a pattern, you can use it to inform your care plan.
Talk to a Dentist
Your dentist may recommend a mouthguard to protect your teeth during sleep and in some cases dental treatment to align, remove or repair teeth. You may also benefit from regular check-ups, to keep an eye on any damage and to make sure it doesn’t get any worse.
Find ways to reduce stress
Learn and practice stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation and talking therapies. Some individuals may find medications targeting stress and anxiety helpful, or muscle relaxants. We have a range of relaxation recordings which are a good way to introduce mindfulness if you haven’t tried or been successful in the past.
Consider changing your lifestyle
Look through the risk factors associated with teeth grinding and think about how your lifestyle may be impacting your risk. Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol and caffeine, and improving your sleep routine may help alleviate your teeth grinding.
Seek Professional Help
If you still struggle with teeth grinding after trying self-help techniques it is time to see a professional and get the help you deserve. Hypnotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are both effective ways to combat teeth-grinding. Our coaches are trained in these methods and will spend time with you to see which one works best for you. Make an appointment now to talk to one of our coaches and see how we can help you.
Article by Tara Walker
Reference: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10955-teeth-grinding-bruxism
Peer reviewed: 29 August 2024, review 1st September 2026