If you suffer from stress or anxiety, you may also suffer from jaw pain—the two often go hand in hand. The pain is caused by grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw during the day (and night), and you probably don’t even realize you’re doing it.
I know this because it happened to me: my partner heard my teeth grating against each other one night while I slept, and it was so annoyingly loud, it woke him up. While embarrassed, I was relieved to find out that I’m not alone in my unconscious, stress-induced teeth grinding. The occurrence is so common, it has a name: bruxism. It’s an involuntary act —and finding a solution is not as easy as you’d think.
Why am I grinding my teeth?
As mentioned, bruxism is pretty common. In fact, “it is estimated that it affects between 10 and 20% of the world s population,” explains Dr. Simón Pardiñas López, an oral surgeon, periodontist, scientific communicator, and director at the Pardiñas Clinic. He says the main causes of bruxism are related to muscle tension produced by stress or anxiety, as well as other psychological states such as anger and frustration.
“The high pace of the life we lead triggers numerous stressful situations,” explains Dr. Nadia Sarmini, director and owner of the Bernabéu Dental Clinic, who adds that stressful situations can lead us to develop unconscious habits such as clenching our teeth or biting our nails—and they can even manifest while we’re not awake. “Having poor quality sleep as a result of stress can lead to a higher incidence of bruxism. During certain phases of sleep, the body can enter states of semi-consciousness in which motor acts, such as clenching the teeth, are more common,” explains Pardiñas.
Although stress is one of the most determining factors of this undesirable unconscious habit, it can also be caused by dental malocclusion (incorrect alignment of the teeth when biting) or other misalignment.
Day vs. night
There are two types of bruxism: daytime and nighttime. “Daytime occurs during waking hours and is usually more directly related to stress, anxiety, intense concentration, or certain postural habits,” explains Pardiñas. It usually causes jaw pain or fatigue in the muscles of the face, especially at the end of the day. “There may be less tooth wear compared to nocturnal bruxism because the person may be more aware of their behavior and able to control it.”
Nocturnal bruxism, on the other hand, can produce jaw, head, and neck pain upon waking. Not to mention, tooth wear and damage to teeth. If you think you may be part of the vast majority who suffers from bruxism while sleeping, you’ll know “if you notice pain,” says Sarmini. “Or, we can simply ask our partner if they notice any noise while we sleep.”
How to tell if you grind your teeth
If you’re wondering whether or not you suffer from bruxism—maybe you’ve never noticed that you grind your teeth and you don’t suffer from jaw pain—there are other ways to find out. Since it’s an unconscious act, Sarmini recommends taking into account the following:
- Are your teeth unusually worn or cracked?
- Do you have tooth sensitivity?
- Are you experiencing sleep disturbances?
- Are certain facial muscles (usually the masseter) overdeveloped or very tight?
- Do you get frequent headaches?
How to treat bruxism
Experts say that bruxism not only causes wear, tear, and tooth sensitivity, it also causes us to lose sleep and get headaches. But finding a solution is not as easy as simply telling yourself to stop. “Nocturnal bruxism is an involuntary habit, therefore, we will not be able to consciously control it ourselves,” says Pardiñas. Sometimes it can disappear on its own, and other times it can be a chronic condition.
So, when should we consider going to an expert to help our bruxism? Tension and pain are good clues. “If you notice muscle fatigue in the face and neck area, muscle contractures, pain in the temporomandibular joint, or detect wear on our teeth or dental sensitivity, you should go to the dentist for an evaluation,” Pardiñas says.
Luckily, there are various ways to treat bruxism—depending on the level and type of bruxism that’s occurring:
- Discharge splint. “It helps reduce unconscious movements and thus avoid headaches and relax the muscles,” explains Sarmini. On the other hand, Pardiñas highlights that while “splints can prevent some effects such as dental wear or overload of the temporomandibular joint, they do not eliminate the root causes.”
- Physiotherapy for the temporomandibular joint. “Going to a specialist is always a good choice, since it will help you reduce pain symptoms and help you achieve muscle relaxation,” explains Sarmini. “It is a good option to reduce muscle fatigue and headaches, in addition to teaching postural re-education.”
- Botox. “Placing botulinum toxin in the area of the masseter muscle and the temporal muscle bilaterally will release tension and demobilize the stressed parts of the face,” explains Sarmini.
According to Pardiñas, we can also employ simpler remedies to try to reduce bruxism, such as avoiding hard foods and chewing gum and increasing our daily water intake. It’s also a great idea to regularly release tension: “Before sleeping, apply ice or moist heat to the jaw muscles and perform exercises, such as stretching, and massage the zone of influence of the temporomandibular joint.”
Professionals also advise addressing the psychological states that trigger bruxism in the first place. “Managing triggers that cause stress and anxiety can help combat this disorder,” advises Pardiñas. Practice meditation, do your breathing exercises, take your walks, take time to journal, and make sure you’re tending to your general well being—emotionally and physically. And, “cut back on stimulating habits such as tobacco and coffee consumption,” the doctor emphasizes.