Teeth gnashing, teeth grinding, teeth clenching, teeth clinching and jaw clenching are all common terms which fall under the medical category of bruxism. This is defined as the habitual, purposeless clenching and grinding of teeth, especially during sleep.

Bruxism is defined as a sleep disorder because it can interfere with sleep patterns and disrupts the healthy phase 3 alpha stage sleep that we all need.

 

Several studies indicate a range of between 8% and 80% of the population will suffer from bruxism at some stage in their lives.

Bruxism is most common:

1. When you have other sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apneoa.

2. If you suffer from chronic stress.

3. If you are a musician and work with string instruments such as a violin.

4. If you suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

5. If you smoke.

6. If you suffer from anxiety.

Surprisingly, it is not always the teeth that suffer when we clench and grind them. Often, we get symptoms that may appear unconnected. For example, many people wake up with a throbbing headache from teeth grinding during sleep. The forces involved in the act of clenching and grinding can put huge pressures on the muscles in the neck and shoulder, creating tension that is released when we wake up. It is this release of tension that can trigger muscle spasm and headaches.

Your pearly whites are most likely to suffer the brunt of night time and daytime bruxism Anything from chipped teeth, loosening of fillings and damage to cosmetic dentistry work can be the result, often costing lots of time and money at the dental surgery to put right.

If your sleep partner is a light sleeper, listening to you gnashing your teeth may cause them to lose sleep and eventually vacate the bedroom forever!

Some dental experts believe that abnormalities in the way the teeth fit together (malocclusion) can cause or trigger bruxism. In such cases, they will sometimes grind down healthy teeth to get a more even bit. Striving for perfect occlusion is not without controversy though. Grinding away healthy teeth is seen by some experts as an invasive and costly procedure with little evidence to support its efficacy as a treatment for bruxism. Many dentists prefer to fit a dental guard (mouth guard) to protect teeth and dental work from the ravages of grinding instead. These are plastic devices that are made from an impression of your teeth and can cost from £70 to £700!. Alternatively, you can wear an inexpensive but effective ready to wear dental guard which does the same job and is more convenient and affordable. We offer the world leading SleepRight dental guards that are approved by the British Dental Health Foundation.