01/24/2026
🦷 Grinding or Clenching Your Teeth? You’re Not Alone — and It’s Treatable!
Do you wake up with jaw pain, sore temples, headaches, or notice clicking or locking in your jaw? You may be experiencing bruxism — involuntary teeth grinding or clenching. If these symptoms occur at least once a week, it’s more common than you think. About 1 in 6 people grind at night and 1 in 4 clench during the day.
Bruxism often happens without you realizing it, especially during sleep. While occasional grinding isn’t harmful, frequent or forceful grinding can wear down teeth, cause fractures, strain jaw joints, trigger headaches and ear pain, disrupt sleep, and lead to costly dental problems.
So what causes it? Bruxism is usually linked to a mix of factors like stress, anxiety, depression, certain medications, high caffeine or alcohol intake, ni****ne, poor sleep habits, and even sleep apnea. In fact, sleep apnea is strongly associated with nighttime grinding due to stress hormones and muscle spasms.
At Harbour Place Dental, we look for signs like worn or cracked teeth, gum recession, cheek ridges, tongue scalloping, loose teeth, and acid erosion. We also ask about sleep quality, pain, and medications.
Treatment may include custom night guards, physical therapy for jaw tension, medical evaluation for sleep issues, pain management, and lifestyle changes like reducing caffeine and keeping devices out of the bedroom. The goal isn’t just to protect your teeth — it’s to address the root causes.
💡 Bottom line: Managing stress and improving sleep habits can make a big difference for your jaw and your smile.
Read more here: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-im-clenching-teeth.html
