Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

Home » Bruxism (Teeth Grinding) » Overview, Causes

Overview

Bruxism, often referred to as "gnashing," is the act of involuntary teeth grinding, either while awake or asleep. Bruxism results primarily in tooth damage and jaw pain and may be caused by psychological effects of everyday stress. In some cases, bruxism causes severe damage to the teeth.

Nocturnal bruxism is a common type of parasomnia (i.e., condition that occurs during sleep and creates a disruptive event). This type is especially problematic because it often is not detected until the teeth are affected, which can take years. Bruxism occurs in approximately 5% to 20% of adults, and is even more prevalent among children. In fact, most patients develop the condition during adolescence or early adulthood. Bruxism rarely begins after age 40 and incidence declines with age.

Bruxism occurs an average of 25 times per night, in four- to five-second episodes. Thus, people with bruxism may grind their teeth for more than two minutes during just one night's sleep.

Causes

The cause for bruxism is unknown. Factors that may contribute to the condition include stress, facial or oral trauma, nervous system malfunction, poor diet, and allergies. Alcohol and drug use also increase the occurrence of bruxism.

Children with bruxism usually stop grinding their teeth before adulthood. However, bruxism can affect adults for an indefinite period of time. Adults with bruxism have increased occurrence of grinding during times of stress (e.g., health-related, family-related, or job-related).

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding) Resources

	Join Our Bruxism Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted. June 1st is National Cancer Survivors Day Share your survival story and help others in the fight against cancer. Read cancer survivor stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
Are you interested in becoming a nurse? Take this test. Advertising Disclaimer To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar. Advertising Disclaimer