About eight to 10 percent of the adult population have a secret malady called sleep bruxism, a sleep disorder characterized by the grinding or clenching of teeth. Some people do it unconsciously even when they are awake. Stress usually has something to do with it, but the origins of the disorder are quite varied. The effects of bruxism are seldom anywhere near as bad as during sleep when the bodys protective mechanisms are turned off. Without proper treatment, the condition may cause serious damage to the teeth and surrounding tissue, as well as trigger headaches and jaw pain.
Bruxism can be a real nuisance. Its much like having a large football player standing on the tooth, said Dr. Noshir Mehta, Chairman of General Dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Director of its Craniofacial Pain Center.
Under normal circumstances, a person’s teeth make contact for about 20 minutes a day with only 20 to 40 pounds of pressure to be able to chew. During sleep bruxism, however, the upper and lower teeth come into direct contact in as much as 40 minutes per hour, and with a force of about 250 pounds on the first molar.
Sleep bruxism is...
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