The daily (and nightly) grind

BRUXISM is the formal name for the involuntary clenching of the jaw and gnashing of the teeth, especially during sleep. It’s a habit that varies in intensity and can have a major effect on oral and dental health before the problem is even recognised.

Exact numbers for a condition like this are pretty much impossible to calculate but it’s clearly a phenomenon most of us can relate to.

Something like half of the population is believed to grind their teeth from time to time, while 5% suffer chronic and forceful grinding. Sleep disorder researcher Snore Australia even says 8% of adults are conscious of teeth-grinding sound s in the night. 

Bruxism is particularly insidious since a person may not realise they are clenching and grinding in their sleep.

Symptoms are not easy to detect and may be falsely attributed to other conditions, allowing the negative effects to go unchecked.

For this reason, it is important to understand the roots of the problem and how to identify its often subtle hallmarks. 

Symptoms and causes

There is no universal agreement on what causes bruxism. It is defined as a nervous habit as opposed to a reflex to a stimulus and is widely believed to be induced by daily stress, anxiety and emotional unease. Misuse of drugs and misaligned teeth have also been cited as possible aggravators. 

Because the severity of bruxism varies so widely, you may need to be sensitive to some fairly innocuous symptoms. Headache, neck pain, ear pain, tinnitus and muscular stiffness in the face and jaw could be signs of night-time grinding, as well as temperature sensitivity in teeth, cracked enamel, tooth loss, gum recession and bite marks on the tongue. 

Clenching your teeth creates pressure in your head and causes tension on muscles, tissues and teeth. As a result, a range of more serious dental and oral problems are possible effects of the conditions. In some cases, eating disorders, depression and even enlargement of jaw muscles are possible complications. 

Treatment options

Since the causes and risk factors are so indefinite and varied, bruxism doesn’t fall neatly into the jurisdiction of any particular healthcare field. The clenching and grinding of teeth can be addressed by a number of medical disciplines depending on which aspect of your life you determine to be the responsible factor. The best treatments employ a multidiscipline approach. 

Clinical diagnosis is most often made by a dentist. Based on the damage done to your teeth, a dentist may implement repairs and adjust fillings if they’re worsening the effects of the clenching. A dentist is likely to recommend a dental guard or a mouth splint (similar to a sports guard) in order to protect your teeth during night-time gnashing. 

Bruxism can also be diagnosed by a sleep specialist. A sleep study of the electric signals triggered by jaw muscles can reveal if the grinding is related to another treatable sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea. A sleep specialist may then attempt to treat the condition by improving your sleep habits or “sleep hygiene” through cognitive behavioural therapies. More acute bruxism may require stress management therapy or prescription of anti-depressants, anti-anxiolytics or muscle relaxers. 

Other treatment possibilities include massage therapy and the use of a biofeedback device which monitors and alerts you of physiological functions with the aim of helping you to control the agitating behaviour.