Colgate - SmileTalk® E-newsletter - Reasons to keep smiling from Colgate

Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

People who grind or clench their teeth may be more susceptible to cracked tooth syndrome because of the constant forces put on their teeth. Read more.

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

What Is It?

Bruxism is clenching or grinding your teeth, often without being aware that your are doing it. In the United States, bruxism affects an estimated 30 to 40 million children and adults.

Some people grind their teeth only during sleep; this condition is called "nocturnal bruxism" or "sleep-related bruxism." Others grind their teeth during the daytime as well, most often during situations that make them feel tense or anxious. People with severe bruxism can fracture dental fillings or cause other types of tooth damage. Severe bruxism has also been blamed for some cases of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), mysterious morning headaches and unexplained facial pain.

Bruxism can have a variety of psychological and physical causes. In many cases, it has been linked to stress, but it can also simply be the body's reaction to the teeth being aligned wrong or a poor bite (the way the teeth come together). Bruxism can sometimes occur as a complication of severe brain injury, or a symptom of certain rare neuromuscular diseases involving the face. Bruxism also can be an uncommon side effect of some psychiatric medications, including antidepressant medications, including fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil).

Symptoms of bruxism include:

• Rythmic contractions of the jaw muscles
• A grinding sound at night, which may disturb the sleep of someone who shares a bedroom with a "bruxer"
• A dull morning headache
• Jaw muscles that are tight or painful, especially in the morning
• Chronic facial pain
• Damaged teeth, fractured dental fillings and injured gums

If you share your bedroom, the dentist also may want to ask that person about your sleep habits, especially about any unusual grinding sounds heard during the night.

Your dentist will examine you, paying special attention to your mouth and jaw. During this exam, your dentist will check for tenderness in your jaw muscles, as well as for any obvious dental abnormalities, such as broken teeth, missing teeth or poor tooth alignment. If your dentist suspects that you have bruxism that is related to dental problems, he or she may conduct a more detailed assessment. In addition to checking your "bite," the dentist will examine your teeth and gums for damage caused by bruxism. The dentist will also take a series of mouth X-rays.

If your child grinds or clenches his or her teeth, discuss the problem with your family dentist. Although many children eventually outgrow bruxism, even short-term tooth grinding can cause damage to your child's permanent teeth.

1 | 2