Gritting of the teeth is also referred to as grinding or bruxism. People who grit their teeth at night might not be aware of what they are doing until damage has already occurred. Fortunately, nighttime gritting of the teeth is usually preventable or treatable through lifestyle changes and dental care.

Identification

A dentist will diagnose why a patient might grit her teeth at night by performing an oral exam and asking questions about the onset or severity of symptoms. The dentist may also seek information on whether life events could have triggered one's gritting of the teeth.

Misconceptions

Gritting of the teeth at night does not always have an obvious cause, and people may have to consider ongoing emotional or mental health issues as to why they grit their teeth. People might grit their teeth at night if they are under extreme stress or feeling frustration or anger in massive amounts.

Medical Causes

According to the Mayo Clinic, gritting may also occur as a complication of Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease or earaches.

Dental Causes

Growth of the jaw in children--and malocclusion or misalignment of the teeth in children or adults--may result in nighttime gritting of the teeth.

Lifestyle Causes

Chewing gum, eating tough foods or biting into hard candies may cause people to grit their teeth at night.

Prevention and Solution

Treatments for gritting of the teeth vary, based on the reason why the person has this behavior; treatment methods include reducing stress for emotional issues. Orthodontic work for is done for dental issues. Mouth guards are used for medical, emotional and orthodontic causes.

Source:

National Library of Medicine: Bruxism

Mayo Clinic: Bruxism

More Information:

Merck Source: Bruxism