Grinding teeth in sleep is a condition known as bruxism, affecting around 10% of the population. The main symptoms are grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw, both of which can lead to your teeth breaking and becoming damaged. Bruxism is common in children and adults alike.

Types of Bruxism

Grinding teeth in sleep is actually a specific type of bruxism known as sleep bruxism, which is where automatic grinding takes place during sleep. Awake bruxism means that you are clenching your teeth and bracing your jaw as a reaction to certain situations.

Bruxism can happen without any prior medical conditions, however it can also occur due to a medical or psychiatric condition. For example, drugs such as antidepressants can cause it to happen, as well as anxiety, depression or conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

Characteristics of Sleep Bruxism

Studies have shown that people who grind their teeth in their sleep also generally have other symptoms. For example, many people do it as a response to being awakened in their sleep, which could further suggest that a sleep disorder might be responsible. Bruxism is also linked to sleep apnoea, which is a condition causing periods where you might stop breathing during your sleep.#

Many people with sleep bruxism also talk in their sleep, or have other conditions related to sleep. Stress and anxiety is a very common reason for people to grind their teeth, and it’s more common among those who drink lots of alcohol or caffeine.

These are not easy symptoms to live with, and the dentists often don’t give you the full story when you try to find out what’s wrong. The good news is that there are natural ways to help manage the condition, and I recommend the Bruxism Cure if you’d rather go down that route. Check it out and you might find your answer.