Teeth Grinding Bruxism

Signs & Symptoms

If you notice any of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing bruxism: Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles A grinding sound at night, which may disturb the sleep of someone who you share a room with Jaw muscles that are tight or painful Popping or clicking of the temporomandibular joint Long-lasting pain in the face Damaged teeth, broken dental fillings and injured gums Headache Swelling (occasionally) on the side of your lower jaw caused by clenching Do you ever wake up from a night’s sleep with sore teeth and jaws? You could be grinding your teeth. Grinding your teeth is known as bruxism. This rhythmic clenching of the jaws and grinding of the teeth may develop at any age. Teeth grinding is usually done unconsciously in your sleep, but it can also occur when you are awake. During the day, a person who is concentrating on a task will often place his teeth together and apply force through a contraction of the jaw muscles. This is commonly associated with the daytime tasks of lifting heavy objects, driving, reading and writing. During sleep, it presents as clenching and rhythmic contractions.