Medically reviewed by Brittany Ferri, PhD
If you’re a friend or partner of someone who grinds their teeth in their sleep, then you’ve probably heard the slightly screechy, slightly crunching, squeaking, but definitely the sleep-stopping sound of those pearly whites grinding against each other in the dead of night.
During teeth grinding episodes, heavy horizontal forces are applied to the teeth (as opposed to the vertical forces used when chewing and swallowing) that can be damaging to the teeth enamel. Furthermore, the force involved when you’re grinding your teeth in your sleep can exceed the maximum force you can tolerate while awake, as the protective reflexes that normally prevent us from hurting ourselves are suppressed. That’s why teeth grinders often don’t realize how hard they’re grinding during sleep.
Teeth grinding puts a lot of pressure on your teeth and jaw structures
The side effects of teeth grinding are caused by the excessive amount of pressure and the unusual types of friction that happen when you grind your teeth in your sleep.
Some of the most obvious side effects include premature tooth wear, loose or chipped teeth, teeth fractures, jaw pain or discomfort (especially with movement), and sore/tired jaw muscles in the morning.
Teeth grinding damage generally affects the dental enamel first. You might notice it as your teeth, especially your canines, become flatter and shorter. This type of tooth wear can affect a single tooth or more, depending on how you grind.
In some cases, bruxism can strain chewing muscles and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), causing pain and tenderness around the jaws, and tension headaches, or even migraines.
Severe cases of bruxism can also cause posture problems as it can affect masticatory and postural muscles of the cervical spine. This may cause muscle pain and chronic changes to posture in the future.
But keep in mind that many of these consequences aren’t specific to sleep bruxism and may be related to other oral habits and conditions. For instance, bruxism isn’t the only cause of tooth wear. Tooth wear is a normal aging process that can be made worse by bruxism and an acidic diet, such as one that is high in concentrated fruit juice or soda.
When is teeth grinding bad for you?
Well, because bruxism is highly variable among different people, it’s not a straightforward answer. That is to say: it depends. There are unfortunately no clear-cut thresholds for when bruxism becomes bad, but your symptoms may present a clue.
If you don’t experience any noticeable symptoms or side effects, like dental issues, pain, or headaches, then you might be just fine.
Also, bruxers who grind less frequently and with less intensity are at less risk for permanent consequences compared to someone who grinds more frequently with greater intensity. And depending on the grinding movement, the consequences might show up in different places. Someone who grinds their teeth side-to-side and also drinks a lot of soda might see faster tooth wear, as opposed to someone who clenches. However, the clencher in this situation might experience more intense facial and jaw pain than the teeth grinder.
Therefore, early diagnosis and monitoring of bruxism, especially severe bruxism, and any causes of it are necessary in order to avoid serious damage to the teeth, masticatory muscles, and the temporomandibular joints.
Sources
Lätti, A. M., Pekkanen, J., & Koskela, H. O. (2018). Defining the risk factors for acute, subacute and chronic cough: a cross-sectional study in a Finnish adult employee population. BMJ Open, 8(7). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022950
Veiga, N. (2015). Bruxism – Literature review. International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health, 1(5). https://doi.org/10.16966/2378-7090.134
Yap, A. U. J., & Chua, A. P. (2016). Sleep bruxism: Current knowledge and contemporary management. Journal of Conservative Dentistry, 19(5), 383. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-0707.190007
