People think that grinding their teeth while sleeping is just a bad habit nothing more than emitting sounds. In fact, grinding, gnashing or clenching your teeth every night is not only a nuisance to others, but it can also develop dental problems including tooth erosion, headaches, sensitive teeth, the unpleasant appearance of the teeth and so forth. See a dentist if you experience the above problem.

Why does teeth grinding occur?

Teeth grinding is when people unconsciously grind or clench their upper and lower rows of teeth together during sleep. It's not always clear what causes people to grind their teeth. Experts believe that the condition is a symptom of a health problem.

Stress, anxiety, nervousness or over-excitement before bedtime results in the brain and muscles not being relaxed and rested during sleep and the brain's nerve twitching, causing the masticatory muscles to move. Or sleep apnoea may cause breathing difficulties and you wake up easily, which prevents the brain from relaxing. It sends messages to the muscles, resulting in teeth grinding.

The effects of teeth grinding on the oral cavity

Do not underestimate the impact of grinding your teeth, as it is like taking two stones and grinding them against each other, which wreaks havoc on your teeth. Teeth grinding has the potential to wear away the enamel of the teeth which exposes the yellowish dentine, the second layer of the tooth crown. It affects the appearance and makes the teeth sensitive, causing numbness and pain when eating hot, cold or sweet foods.

Further, toothache or loose teeth may happen. The jaw muscles can also cause pain in the face in the morning due to clenching at night, resulting in headaches, general facial fatigue and pain in the temporal jaw (the jawbone on either side of the mouth).

Do I need to deal with teeth grinding?

People suffering from teeth grinding should see a dental professional to determine the cause of this problem. Your dentist may recommend a mouth guard to ease the clenching and grinding of your teeth during sleep, depending on the situation.

If the grinding gets worse, you are advised to use an occlusal splint and prescribed medication to help you relax and sleep better.