About 15% of people grind their teeth or clench their jaws – a condition called bruxism.

If diagnosed early enough, we can treat bruxism before it causes damage to your teeth.

CAUSES OF TEETH GRINDING

Most often, people grind their teeth because of stress. Alcohol and caffeine intake can aggravate the condition, causing more severe grinding or clenching.

Some people grind their teeth because their top and bottom teeth aren’t aligned properly. Other people may grind their teeth as a response to pain, such as an earache, or the result of a sleep disorder.

EFFECTS OF BRUXISM

In many cases, bruxism doesn’t cause any damage. But if the grinding is severe enough it can

  • ›  wear down tooth enamel
  • ›  chip teeth
  • ›  increase temperature sensitivity
  • ›  erode gums and supporting bones
  • ›  break fillings or other dental work
  • ›  worsen temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
  • ›  result in cosmetic damage

 

TEETH GRINDING IN CHILDREN

Bruxism is common in children. Three out of ten kids grind or clench their teeth, usually before the age of five. They may grind their teeth in response to jaw growth, losing or getting in new teeth, or the pain and discomfort of other ailments, like allergies or ear infections. As in adults, stress often contributes is usually a passing phenomenon in kids, and most outgrow it by the time they reach adolescence.

Contact us at Croydon Dental if a family member has heard you grind your teeth or if you have a feeling you might be doing so at night.