Your Student Life: Do you Grind Your Teeth?

October 25, 2022

Do you clench or grind your teeth?

Do your teeth ever feel painful while chewing? Does your jaw pop, click or hurt? Are your teeth sensitive to hot and cold food or drinks? You might be surprised to find that your symptoms may be caused by clenching or grinding your teeth! Let’s explore the causes of clenching and grinding, discover the long-term effects on your health and learn how to prevent and relieve symptoms.

Clenching is when you touch your upper and lower teeth together and tighten your jaw muscles. Grinding (also known as bruxism) is when you slide your teeth side to side while they are still touching. Both are often caused by stress, anger, anxiety, concentration, smoking, heavy alcohol use, heavy caffeine use and certain antidepressants such as sertraline, fluoxetine and venlafaxine.

Clenching and grinding are usually subconscious activities, so you may not realize it’s happening. Clenching and grinding may also be a symptom of disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea.* If you notice that you clench during the day, you most likely are clenching while you sleep

What are the symptoms of clenching and grinding? 

The most common symptom is pain and soreness in and around the hinge of your jaw, which is known as the temporomandibular joint (or TMJ for short). Your TMJ allows your jaw to open and close and is located next to your ear. Soreness and pain develop in the TMJ because the constant pressure on the joint causes the ligaments (the tissue that holds the bones in a joint together) to become inflamed and irritated. The ligaments can also begin to stretch and cause clicking or popping sounds. In extreme cases, it can even become difficult to open and close your mouth.

The tightening and overworking of the jaw muscles while clenching and grinding can lead to headaches and muscle soreness in your jaw, head and neck. If TMJ and muscle soreness are present upon waking, you most likely clench and grind your teeth while sleeping.

Tooth discomfort is another symptom that regularly develops. Discomfort can range from soreness and pain while chewing, to sensitivity when eating and drinking hot or cold foods and drinks. Pressure, especially while brushing your teeth is another sign to look for. Soreness while chewing is caused by the inflammation in the ligaments that hold your teeth in your jawbone. Hot and cold sensitivity may be caused by significant wear and fractures in the enamel (the hard substance that protects your teeth). Pressure sensitivity from your toothbrush may be caused by a receding gum line. It is important to have regular checkups with your dentist and dental hygienist in order to rule out other causes of tooth discomfort like cavities and gum disease.

What are the signs of clenching and grinding? 

Oftentimes, family members or partners will make you aware of grinding because it can be a bit noisy. Teeth that have a receded gum line, are flat in appearance, have small chips and cracks on the biting surface or just seem smaller than they used to be is indicative of clenching and grinding. Another sign is a scalloped tongue. When you wake up in the morning, stick your tongue out while looking in a mirror. If you can see a scalloped impression of your teeth on your tongue, you may be clenching. Regular visits to your dentist and dental hygienist can help too, we are always looking for signs of clenching and grinding.

Long term effects of clenching and grinding are chronic pain and locking in the jaw, smaller looking teeth, cavities, tooth sensitivity, periodontal disease, loss of chewing efficiency and loss of teeth from chipping and fractures. Repairing teeth that are worn down or broken from clenching and grinding can be extremely costly and time consuming.

What are the best ways to relieve symptoms, prevent damage to your teeth and protect your TMJ? 

Habit changes and stress relieving activities such as exercise, meditation, smoking cessation, limiting caffeine intake and limiting alcohol consumption may help you stop clenching and grinding. If you are taking antidepressants, have a discussion with your primary care provider about possibly changing medication, but do not stop taking your medication without doctor approval. Eating soft foods, limiting how wide you open your mouth, along with TMJ stretching and strengthening exercises can help relieve jaw pain and headaches.**

Even with changes to your habits, it may be difficult to stop clenching and grinding. Sometimes intervention is needed. A dental night guard (also known as a bite guard) is a device that fits over your upper teeth that creates a cushion between your upper and lower teeth. This prevents wear on the teeth and relieves stress on the TMJ, which eliminates soreness. Night guards should be worn every night to be effective, but they can also be worn during the day during activities when you notice you are clenching.

There are two types of night guards: non custom, and custom. Non custom night guards are available online and at drugstores and include instructions to shape the night guard to your teeth. They can be cost effective, ranging in price from $20-$150. The downside to non-custom night guards is that they can be a bit bulky and hard to get used to. They also need to be replaced frequently depending on your clenching and grinding habits. If you have difficulty with a non-custom night guard, or are replacing it in less than three months, you can have a custom night guard made at your dentist office. Custom guards are less bulky, fit snugly, and are made with a stronger material that will last longer than non-custom guards. Custom guards are available at the Student Health Services Dental Clinic and cost around $350.

If you are new to wearing a dental appliance, it may take some getting used to. Wear the guard for about thirty minutes a day for three to five days before attempting to wear the guard at night, that will help you get used to the feeling of the night guard. Once you are ready to wear the guard at night, floss and brush your teeth, then place the night guard in your mouth about thirty minutes prior to bedtime. This will help you adjust to the feeling and easily drift off to sleep. When you take out your night guard, it is normal for your bite to feel a little bit off. Your bite will feel normal again within one hour.

In most cases, habit changes along with wearing a night guard will relieve symptoms of clenching and grinding within a couple of weeks. If you still experience symptoms, schedule an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist will examine your teeth for other causes of discomfort. If no other causes are present, your dentist may refer you to a TMJ specialist. If you have any concerns, feel free to contact the Student Health Services Dental Clinic. 

*Other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are: snoring, neck circumference over 16 inches for women and 17 inches for men, excessive weight, depression, difficulty remembering, irritability, and fatigue. If you think you may have sleep apnea, please contact your Primary Care Physician.

**Here is a link to TMJ stretches and strengthening exercises:
|https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/temporomandibular-disorder/tmj-exercises-for-pain-relief#  

 

Lisa Williams, RDH, BS

Dental Hygienist
Student Health Services
Office of Student Life