Do I need to be concerned if I grind my teeth?

If you grind your teeth regularly, talk to your dentist. Not only does teeth grinding cause facial pain such as headache, sore jaw, toothache or earache, but repeated grinding can wear down your teeth and cause them to crack or loosen fillings.

Regular dental visits are important to find damage in the early stages. Your dentist can help you manage bruxism and the related symptoms, as well as repair and help prevent further damage to your teeth.

The primary chewing muscles involved in the unconscious clenching or grinding of the teeth are very strong and over time, can cause dental damage and pain. Watch the animation to learn more about these muscles and tooth grinding.

You should be concerned if you grind or clench your teeth a lot. Grinding teeth, or bruxism, is common among many people but usually doesn't cause any harm. If you do it regularly, however, you can damage or fracture your teeth. You can loosen your teeth and cause them to fall out or wear them down. In this case, your dentist may recommend bridges, dentures, root canals, or implants. Grinding teeth can also damage your jaw and cause temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a condition affecting the jaw joint.