Teeth Grinding or medically known as ‘Sleep Bruxism’ is described as the grinding of teeth while sleeping. It is also associated with jaw clenching. According to The Canadian Sleep Society, it is reported that eight percent of the adult population and fourteen percent of children grind their teeth a few times at night per week.
Sleep Bruxism if left untreated can cause tooth destruction, temporomandibular joint disorders, orofacial and jaw pain, headache and sleep disruption. Normally, a person doesn’t realize that they grind their teeth in their sleep, so a partner or a parent are usually the ones who notice first. Most often, teeth grinding is due to stress or feelings of anxiousness and anger on something. Symptoms include grinding sounds from teeth, headache, jaw clenching, a stiffness of the face and jaw, cracked enamel, tooth indentations on the tongue and loose teeth.
The American Dental Association described Bruxism as clenching and grinding of teeth that often involves the canine teeth and incisor moving and rubbing laterally against each other. Bruxism is often seen among children and is believed to decrease with age.
A plastic mouthguard is often suggested when the person’s teeth are not fitting together, which causes rubbing in that particular area. The mouthguard will stop the rubbing and reduce the risk of damage to the teeth.
If you have any questions on bruxism and its effect on dental health, please contact or visit our dental office at Quarry Park Dental in Calgary, Alberta.