Too much coffee or booze may be the culprit.
If you’ve ever slept next to someone who grinds their teeth, you know the unmistakable and jarring sound of enamel rubbing against enamel. Or maybe you’ve woken up with a sore jaw, only to find out from your partner that it was your own grinding disturbing the night’s tranquility.
Commonly referred to as bruxism, teeth grinding is something many people experience occasionally. While the occasional grinding is unlikely to cause significant harm, frequent and prolonged grinding can lead to various issues.
What Causes Bruxism?
Bruxism can be categorized as either diurnal or nocturnal, depending on whether it occurs when a person is awake or asleep. Daytime grinding is considered a distinct condition from nighttime grinding and is often thought to be related to stress.
Nighttime grinding, however, can stem from a variety of factors, making it challenging to identify the specific causes of an individual’s bruxism or to determine appropriate treatments. Notably, this behavior is more prevalent in children than in adults, with estimates suggesting that up to half of all kids may grind their teeth in their sleep, typically outgrowing it as they reach adolescence.
Surprisingly, there have been relatively few significant studies on the causes of bruxism in adults, with one literature review indicating that the condition’s origins remain unclear. However, it did mention that “faulty occlusion”—or misaligned bites—seems to play a role, as the contact between upper and lower teeth appears to affect jaw muscle function.
Other contributing factors include stress and anxiety, certain medications like SSRI antidepressants, recreational drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy, and excessive consumption of coffee or alcohol. Additionally, other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea—which involves difficulty breathing during sleep—are also linked to bruxism, although the exact mechanisms of this connection are not well understood.
Is Bruxism Dangerous?
Most individuals who grind their teeth at night do not face significant negative effects, although severe bruxism can result in pain and dysfunction in the jaw muscles, a condition known as temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The primary risk involves the teeth themselves, which may become broken, chipped, or worn down if grinding is frequent or intense.
Some patients have reported experiencing neck and facial pain, as well as headaches and disrupted sleep associated with bruxism.
How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth
Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure or treatment for bruxism, but there are several strategies that may help. For example, relaxation exercises and stress-reduction techniques can be beneficial, while lifestyle changes related to diet and substance use may also make a difference.
If your bruxism is linked to sleep apnea, using certain devices that keep the airways open might help alleviate both issues simultaneously. Additionally, adopting healthy sleep habits—such as going to bed at the same time each night and ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet—can also help prevent teeth grinding.
In more severe cases, a dentist may suggest using a mouth guard or splint to protect your teeth from damage during the night.
However, due to the lack of high-quality clinical trials on bruxism treatments, there is currently no guaranteed method to stop grinding your teeth while you sleep.
This article is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified health providers with any questions regarding medical conditions.
All “explainer” articles are fact-checked for accuracy at the time of publication. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added later to ensure the information remains current.
