Bruxism is the grinding or clenching of your teeth. In this article, we outline its key symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Symptoms

Symptoms of bruxism include:

Causes

Experts are not completely sure what causes bruxism. Some consider it a habit, but others believe it can be a result of the following:

Diagnosis

Bruxism often happens during sleep or under stress. Hence, it can be difficult to diagnose as many are not aware they are grinding their teeth, particularly during sleep.

Bruxism is important to diagnose as soon as possible as if left untreated it can develop into worse issues including damaged teeth, tooth wear and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD/TMJ) which is a disorder of the jaw bone.

You should attend regular check ups with your dentist who can examine the mouth for signs of grinding and determine the best treatment. You should also see your dentist if teeth are worn, damaged, or sensitive, if your jaw, face, or ear is painful, or if your partner says you make a grinding noise in your sleep.

Prevention

There are a few things you can do to prevent bruxism and stop grinding your teeth:

Treatment

There are a number of different treatments for bruxism depending on the cause:

Do You Grind Your Teeth?

If you are experiencing the above symptoms and think you may be grinding your teeth, contact Bright & White Dental Spa or book an appointment now. Our dentists will examine your teeth to determine whether you have bruxism and decide the best course of treatment.