5 Tips to Stop Tooth Grinding

Do you grind your teeth? If you're like most Americans, you probably do, but you may not even know it. I spoke to Dr. Andrew Greenberger, a periodontist and participating Delta Dental dentist, who shared the facts about tooth grinding, known in the medical community as bruxism, including what we can do about this damaging habit. 

"It's common for people to grind their teeth," said Dr. Greenberger. "That's because it's a normal function of our mouths. Some of us just move our lower jaws. But some of us clench and move our jaws in a way that our teeth become affected. That's when problems can occur. You can wear down your teeth from the forces of grinding. You also can wear down the joint that holds the lower and upper jaws together. When that happens, the bone structure begins to dissolve."

"But that's not all that can happen," he added. "When teeth lock together, the muscles in the jaw stay tense. This leads to pain and disruption of the jaw joint, and can cause Temporomandibular Disorders, better known as TMD."

Signs of bruxism, or tooth grinding, may include:

Tips of the teeth appearing flat

• Tooth enamel rubbed off, causing extreme sensitivity
• Popping and clicking of the jaw
• Tongue indentations
• Chronic headaches
• Jaw or facial pain

While grinding and clenching are damaging to our natural teeth, Dr. Greenberger told me that those actions may do even more damage to implants. "That's because implants don't have the same shock absorbers our natural teeth have," he said. 

Unfortunately, there is no cure for bruxism. But there are ways to make sure that grinding your teeth doesn't harm your oral health. Dr. Greenberger offered the following tips:

Tip #1: Reduce your stress. Up to 1 in five people may be grinding their teeth due to stress. In fact, there's a whole month dedicated to it—April is National Stress Awareness Month. Take time to relax and unwind. Get enough sleep so you won't feel irritable, and exercise to release some of that tension.


Tip #2: Remove caffeine from your diet. It's a stimulant that makes it more difficult for your mind and your muscles to relax.

Tip #3 Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant that may make it more difficult to get a good night's sleep. Teeth grinding can sometimes get worse after alcohol consumption.

Tip #4: Practice relaxing your jaw during the day. If you feel yourself clenching, place the tip of your tongue between your teeth.

Tip #5: See your dentist. He or she can tell you if your tooth grinding is creating potential problems. If so, your dentist can provide you with tips to help you stop grinding your teeth. He or she can also fit you with a nighttime oral appliance that protects your teeth.

It's important to stop the harmful effects of teeth grinding as soon as possible. Protecting your oral health goes a long way toward protecting your overall health.


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