Grinding and clenching at night can have some unintended consequences.
“So do you think you grind your teeth?”
” No doc, not me.”
“Well someone’s been taking some off the top when you’re not looking.”
It’s rare that I go a day without seeing at least one person without signs and symptoms of grinding and/or clenching their teeth. Lots of us do it, including me. I frequently catch myself clenching my teeth when focusing intently on a task. It’s typically a subconscious habit that, if you’re lucky enough not to suffer from any jaw pain, will go unnoticed until someone points it out or things start breaking.
Shouldn’t my teeth touch?
You may not have realized this, but teeth are not meant to touch. It sounds odd, but think about it. They don’t touch while you speak, smile or rest. Even when you chew, your teeth only have to be close enough to mash food, not necessarily touch. An average person who does not grind will have their teeth touch only about 4 minutes in an average day. The person who grinds while asleep can have their teeth together for hours at time. Our bodies aren’t designed to handle that kind of force over extended periods.
Most people I treat will be on one of two teams; Team Grinders and Team Clenchers.
Team Grinders are those of us that habitual and involuntary gnash or rub our teeth together, usually during sleep. These folks have flattened molars, short looking front teeth and chipped or ragged looking edges. Surprisingly, I don’t often find these people suffering from headaches or muscle pain but they certainly do a good job at breaking teeth and dental restorations. Don’t let me mislead you though more severe symptoms can surely develop over time.
Then there’s Team Clenchers, those of us that squeeze our teeth together with tremendous force for minutes to hours at a time. Sometimes we’ll clench during the day but often and with much more intensity at night. These are the folks that will wake up in the morning with headaches, muscle fatigue and at times need treatment for acute muscle or jaw pain.
What Causes Grinding and Clenching?
Both situations can be as a result of and exacerbated by stress, anger, tension, fear, frustration, a misaligned bite, poor fitting dental restorations, etc. The most severe symptoms will arise during periods of highest stress such as a divorce, job change and loss of a loved one.
Fortunately, if the damage isn’t too bad these conditions can be managed with stress reduction techniques, bite adjustments, orthodontics and/or a simple nightguard. Untreated, it can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in dental treatment to rebuild and restore what you once had. If you think you may be clenching or grinding your teeth, don’t fret. Dentists are here to help.
General Dentist at Virginia Family Dentistry Short Pump