Teeth Grinding Is Reaching Epic…

Teeth Grinding Is Reaching Epic Proportions Say Dentists and It’s Affecting Our Sleep

1st April 2022

As many as 90% of us are doing it and if you suffer from headache, brain fog, poor sleep or a tense jaw it could be you. here’s what to do

Are you a teeth grinder or a jaw clencher? If so you’re part of an ever-growing number. The stress of the pandemic has seen cases of a teeth-grinding (aka bruxism) rising according to dentists. “In the past few months, I have seen a 40 per cent increase in patients with issues related to teeth grinding such as a painful jaw,” says dentist Dr Ruth Baidoo of the Forum Dental Studio in Lincolnshire. At Dr Hanna Kinsella’s Kin Lane Dental clinic in St Helen’s, there’s been a 50 per cent rise in cases.

“I put it largely down to the stress that many people have found themselves under as a result of lockdown and the lifestyle changes this has brought, from job losses to trying to juggle homeschooling and working, and the worry about family members,” she says.

Most teeth grinding cases are indeed caused by stress and anxiety – the NHS estimates up to 70 per cent. What’s more, most of us do it. Dr Rhona Eskander of the Chelsea Dental Clinic sees it in 90 per cent of patients. “In my clinic, nine out of ten clients suffer from bruxism, due to a hectic lifestyle and the strain of daily life.”

It’s generally a nocturnal habit, but some of us do it during the day too without noticing. Not only does teeth grinding damage and weaken our teeth, leading to more fillings and cracked crowns, because it often happens at night it can have a dramatic impact on the quality of our sleep, leaving us feeling unrested and foggy even if we’ve been out for the count for eight hours. It can cause migraines and even change the shape of your face as we inadvertently bulk up our jaw muscles.

We took a seat in the dentist’s chair to find out what causes teeth grinding and what to do about it…

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