
Night time tooth grinding or clenching is a sleep disorder also known as ‘bruxism’. Adults that grind or clench their teeth at night may have generalised sensitivity to their teeth and may also wake up with headaches, sore jaw joints, sore jaw muscles or chipped and worn teeth. Occasionally, there are no symptoms.
Working through COVID, I noticed in my patients a marked increase in the prevalence of night time tooth grinding and/or clenching and its associated effects.
What causes night time grinding?
The causes of night time grinding are not well understood. It occurs much more frequently in children, but most will outgrow it by the age of 12.Most people who grind or clench their teeth at night do not do so every night – even just a few minutes here and there over a few months can cause long term damage to the teeth and surrounding structures. Who is at risk for night time tooth grinding?
Several factors are associated with night time tooth grinding/clenching:StressCertain medica..