Six million people grind their teeth in the UK
According to new figures released by the NHS, over 6 million adults suffer from a condition called bruxism, in which the sufferer will often grind their teeth. However, it is important to know that doing this can endanger your dental health.
As tooth grinding is uncontrollable and often happens during sleep, many sufferers do not even realise they have the condition until they are informed by another person. However, the condition does not just cause concern for others – it is also a huge danger to oral health as it increases the risk of TMJ disorder.
The TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, is one of the most-used in the entire human body. It takes care of actions you perform every day, such as opening and closing your mouth and the chewing of food. TMJ disorder is a range of symptoms that can affect it and its efficiency in performing these actions. Those who grind their teeth will find that they may have symptoms such as popping or clicking sounds when they move their jaw, pain when opening the mouth too far, or cramp and stiffness in the jaw.
Dentists can very easily find signs of bruxism, according to Dr Uchenna Okoye of the London Smiling Dental Group. These include the wearing down of the teeth, causing visible marks and chips that stain quicker than the rest of the surface. There is often no identifiable cause for bruxism, though anxiety and stress are often cited. Wearers of braces may also find themselves more easily affected.
If patients have been told that they grind their teeth, or identify with the symptoms listed here, they should go and see a dentist as soon as possible, according to Dr Okoye. Dentists can create custom bite guards for their patients to be worn during sleep, and these will stop the top and bottom teeth from touching each other.
