How can I find out if I grind my teeth?

Have you ever woken yourself up in the middle of the night with a loud clenching or grinding sound? That’s bruxism, more commonly known as teeth grinding.

Bruxism is a habit of grinding or clenching your teeth. Clenching means you tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together. Grinding is when you slide your teeth back and forth over each other. Teeth grinding can happen to anyone, at any age. The causes of bruxism are not known but many believe that stress, sleep disorders and an abnormal bite all play a role.

If you suspect you are grinding your teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist can help you manage bruxism and its related symptoms, as well as repair and help prevent further damage to your teeth.

To know if you grind your teeth, see if the tops of your bottom incisor teeth and the bottoms of your top teeth are flat, or somewhat jagged. If they're flat, that could indicate that you grind your teeth, putting you at greater risk for wearing down, breaking, or splitting your teeth and leading to gum and mouth problems as you age (big problems, like getting your teeth from a jar every morning). Another clue: You have a small, whitish ridge on the insides of your cheeks running parallel to the biting surface of your teeth. Why the white line? You use your cheek to keep your teeth from touching.

You may be grinding your teeth at night if you experience headaches, sore or painful jaw muscles, or clicking or popping noises when you open or close your mouth. Your dentist may also spot signs of unusual wear on your teeth, such as chips and cracks. A  sleep laboratory can make a conclusive diagnosis, but this test is often expensive and unnecessary.