Tooth Grinding & How to Stop It

If you think you suffer from bruxism, ask your dentist for options that might ease your pain.
If you think you suffer from bruxism, ask your dentist for options that might ease your pain.

There’s nothing worse than waking up feeling more tired than when you went to sleep the night before. Waking up with a headache is even worse. It is estimated that headaches affect about 50% of adults around the world.

Many tension headaches can be traced to “a bad bite” or dental stress, particularly tooth grinding. Also known as bruxism, tooth grinding is a common problem; one which could be helped by jawline slimming treatment. In addition to headaches, symptoms of teeth grinding include:

  • Facial pain and earaches
  • Sore jaw, teeth and gums
  • Worn down, loose or fractured teeth

It has been found that 70% of teeth grinding in adults is related to stress or anxiety. Other factors that contribute to teeth grinding include smoking, drinking alcohol, sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep) and caffeine. Visit your dentist to discuss and potentially correct any issues you have from Bruxism.

Tooth grinding also occurs in children, but the causes are different. Misaligned teeth, mouth irritation or allergies can cause kids to grind their teeth. Most kids outgrow tooth grinding by adolescence.

If you suffer from headaches, a sore jaw or facial pain, see your dentist. Treatment varies, but typically includes being fitted with a mouthguard to help prevent tooth damage while sleeping and finding ways to cut the stress in your life – exercise, meditation or counseling can all help.

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Leah Martinez
Leah Martinez serves as a social media analyst for Delta Dental of Arizona. In college at the University of New Mexico, Leah took the path of no return and majored in Chemistry with healthcare on her mind. After learning direct patient care was not her forte, she landed a job as the advertising manager at University of New Mexico's college newspaper “The Daily Lobo.” It was this job that turned her on to her skills in digital marketing. Since joining Delta Dental in 2012, Leah found her niche, as the constant education and learning in social media brings out the true geek in her. In her spare time, Leah enjoys snowboarding, snowmobiling and riding dirt bikes. (Did we mention she's based in Colorado?) [Editor's Note: Leah is no longer a current DDAZ employee.]