Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Teeth grinding during sleep, known as bruxism, affects about one in four adults in the UK, is often related to stress or anxiety with symptoms that can include an aching jaw,  gum problems , damage to teeth with enamel wear and tooth fracture.

Bruxism leads to other problems well (both short-term and long-term)such as headaches and disorder of the TMJ.

The pressure on the teeth during grinding can be 20 times greater than when eating and, as a result, incisors can end up shorter with sharp edges and tiny chip marks, canines can become covered in notches and teeth can work loose, with fillings being lost.

The symptoms can be relieved by using a small bite guard splint which reduces the activity of the clenching muscles. Waking up with a ‘muzzy’ head is a good indicator of night time clenching and grinding. If you take painkillers frequently for headaches, then a splint could break the habit and reduce the frequency and severity of your headaches and migraines.

Please let us know if you think you may suffer from bruxism as soon as possible and we will do our best to alleviate the symptoms and stop any more damage being done to your teeth.