Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): Signs, Damage and Treatment

In short: Morning headaches, jaw ache, flattened or worn teeth, repeatedly failing fillings and ridged tongue edges are the usual signs — most people who grind don't know they do. A custom night guard takes the force instead of your teeth; the cause is addressed separately. Enamel that grinding removes never grows back.

Bruxism — grinding or clenching the teeth, usually during sleep — is common and largely unnoticed by the person doing it. The damage is slow, cumulative and expensive to repair, which makes early recognition worth something.

Signs you might be grinding

• Waking with a dull headache, particularly at the temples
• Jaw ache or facial soreness in the morning
• Teeth that look increasingly flat, short or worn at the edges
• Increased sensitivity as enamel thins
• Chipped or cracked teeth, or fillings that keep failing
• A partner mentioning the sound at night
• Ridged indentations along the edge of your tongue, or a ridge on the inside of your cheek

A dentist can often identify the wear pattern well before you notice symptoms — it is one of the things being looked for at a routine check-up.

Why it happens

Stress and anxiety are the most commonly cited factors. Sleep disorders, including sleep apnoea, are strongly associated. Some medications list it as a side effect, as do caffeine, alcohol and smoking. A bite where teeth do not meet evenly can contribute.

What it does over time

Enamel does not regenerate. Worn enamel exposes the softer dentine beneath, which wears faster still, so the process accelerates. Long-term consequences include sensitivity, cracked teeth and failed restorations, jaw joint problems, and in advanced cases teeth worn down enough to need crowns across the whole arch — one of the most expensive things in dentistry, and entirely preventable with a device that costs a fraction of it.

Treatment

A night guard. A custom appliance worn during sleep. It does not stop the grinding, but it takes the force instead of your teeth, and it is the standard protective treatment. A custom-made guard from impressions of your teeth fits and protects properly; a generic boil-and-bite one often does not.

Addressing the cause, where identifiable — stress management, reviewing caffeine and alcohol, and investigating sleep apnoea if there is snoring or daytime sleepiness alongside.

Repairing existing damage, which is done after the grinding is under control, otherwise new work wears the same way.

Getting assessed

If you recognise several signs above, mention it at your next appointment — the wear pattern tells a dentist a lot. Every dentist on EnamDoc is verified against their dental council registration before they can accept a booking.

General information, not a diagnosis. Bruxism is identified by examination of wear patterns and history.