Loss of sleep at night, waking up frequently, feeling tired and irritable the day after; does this sound familiar? No one likes these symptoms, experiencing it on yourself is awful, and experiencing in other people is also unpleasant. If these symptoms also come with a headache, neck ache, or tinnitus, you are likely grinding your teeth in your sleep.
Loss of sleep at night, waking up frequently, feeling tired and irritable the day after; does this sound familiar? No one likes these symptoms, experiencing it on yourself is awful, and experiencing in other people is also unpleasant. If these symptoms also come with a headache, neck ache, or tinnitus, you are likely grinding your teeth in your sleep.
What causes it?
The main cause is a lack of balance and harmony, both within and/or without. Let’s look at the outside causes. If your teeth do not rest on each other when you close your mouth, then your temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) cannot rest. This condition is usually genetic, but can be caused by a high crown or a too high tooth filling. Let’s look at the internal causes! If stress is causing this disharmony, then you are probably working through the aggravation you feel during the day in your sleep. We react to emotions like fear, excitement, and many times this can take the form of grinding your teeth, or of clenching your jaw involuntarily. The cause can also be a childhood fixation as well.
How does it work?
Your TMJ is sometimes overactive because it would be working constantly, making small movements, and thus it does this even while you sleep. But this movement can become rigid and painful. For some, this movement is side to side, for some it is back and forth, it makes no difference, as the result is the same. The point is that the jaw is looking for a stable state, which it cannot find. We can see the typical side to side movement developing in childhood, as the then not yet erupted wisdom teeth are already causing a ruckus. They start to push the molars, which causes a lack of space, which then causes an abnormal bite.
Consequences
Researchers have found that patients grind their teeth with about 20% more force than they use during the day, and are capable of continuously exerting this kind of pressure for up to 45 minutes. This has consequences- just imagine beating two rocks together; eventually they start to dull, to crack and break apart. Our teeth are the same, they start to dull, their cusps break off and are worn down. The result is not just an aesthetic problem, as the teeth that are thus damaged are much more prone to tooth decay, and head and neck aches and even back pain can result from grinding your teeth at night. It can also lead to migraines and ear problems as well, as the jaws and the inner ear are closely linked.
There is a solution!
These consequences can seem a bit severe, but every dental problem has a solution. With hygiene sessions and sometimes the use of veneers, the damage can be covered up, and orthodontics can put your teeth back in a more comfortable position, helping your jaw find a secure resting place. If the situation is more severe, than a night guard can be used to minimize the damage, and your bite can be corrected with surgery. If the wisdom teeth are causing this problem, than they need to come out. All in all, grinding your teeth is a condition that can be dealt with medically, but try meditating and calming yourself before you go to sleep. This can help you let go of your anxieties and your stress, and may even help you stop grinding your teeth.