The Silent Grind: How Stress Turns Into Night-Time Tooth Damage

Bruxism is usually caused by a secondary condition, such as stress or anxiety. So while there may be steps we can take to limit damage to your teeth while you get this condition under control, it’s the underlying problem that you will need to tackle.

In this guide, we’re looking at how stress and anxiety can impact your teeth, what you can do to tackle this condition, and how your dentist might be able to help you.

What is bruxism?

Bruxism is a medical condition that causes you to grind your teeth while you are sleeping. Stress and anxiety are two of the most common reasons that patients suffer from bruxism, but it could also be linked to other sleep problems like sleep apnea and sleep talking.

Patients with bruxism are likely to wake up with a sore jaw and aching teeth. They might also suffer from chips, cracks and fractures to their teeth. The chewing surface of the teeth will bear the brunt of the pressure, which can cause premature wear and tear.

How is bruxism diagnosed?

If you are regularly waking up with a sore jaw and achy teeth, this is a telltale sign that you are grinding your teeth at night. You’ll need to visit the dentist to confirm if this is happening and to find out the next steps.

Your dentist cannot stop the root cause of your bruxism, but they may be able to help prevent damage to your teeth in the meantime. Your dentist might recommend the following treatment plans to safeguard your teeth:

Night mouth guard

This apparatus is designed to be more at night while you sleep. It will help to protect your teeth from the pressure of grinding and scraping together. If your bruxism is caused by the position of your jaw when you sleep, you might find that wearing a corrective mouth guard will help to fix this issue.

Botox

You might think this cosmetic treatment is only for getting rid of wrinkles, but it can also help to relax the muscles in your jaw so that you don’t clench them at night time. This should only be done under the supervision of a dentist, as this treatment is not the same as a treatment for cosmetic wrinkles.

How can you tackle stress?

While your teeth are protected from further damage, the next step is to tackle stress in your life. You might not be able to eliminate stress completely, but you might be able to reframe stress in your life so that you don’t respond to it in the same way.

Exercise is often recommended as the first method for helping to reduce stress in your life. If you’re sedentary at the moment, introducing some light movement can help you to feel more relaxed when you go to bed. Being more tired when you go to bed will also help you to sleep soundly.

Mindfulness and meditation are also excellent ways to tackle stress and anxiety. This is the best way to understand your mind so that you can better handle stress when it arises in your life. Combining this with light movement such as yoga or pilates can also help to reduce stress levels.

Talking about your problems with a trained professional can also help to put things into perspective. If you are prone to bottling up your emotions, then speaking to someone could help you to process things more effectively.

As a last resort, your GP may recommend medication to help you to relax at night, but this wouldn’t be the first choice for many GPs. There are lots of ways to tackle stress and anxiety without medication, and these will be more effective in the long-term.

What happens if I ignore my bruxism?

If you ignore bruxism and don’t seek treatment, you risk doing damage to your teeth in the long term. The human jaw can exert up to 150 kg of pressure, and this will damage the teeth over time. If you’re worried about bruxism, get in touch with our team to book a routine checkup.