How to spot, stop, and survive teeth grinding: 'It's a destructive habit'

702's Gugs Mhlungu spoke to Dentist, Dr Alec Chemaly.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

"It's the involuntary, unconscious gnashing or grinding of the teeth together for any purpose other than eating or chewing. It's a destructive habit."

- Dr Alec Chemaly, Dentist

Bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding, is said to affect roughly half of all people at some point in their lives.

Teeth grinding can occur during the day or while sleeping, and many people are unaware that they are doing it.

"The main factor that we found is stress. People are stressed, and it manifests itself in them clenching their top jaw against their bottom jaw while they sleep, mainly, but also during the day. It's uncontrollable, they don't even know they are doing it...it happens in children and adults..." 

- Dr Alec Chemaly, Dentist

While stress is a common trigger, it's not the only factor.

Age, personality traits, caffeine use, certain medications, and even underlying conditions like sleep apnea can increase your risk.

Grinding your teeth can cause several issues, from worn-down teeth and jaw pain to sleep disturbances and chronic headaches. 

Symptoms include chipped or sensitive teeth, a popping jaw, or even a dull headache that begins at the temples.

"Biting is a very strong force. So if you're clenching your teeth, you can chip your teeth, you can crack your teeth. The nerves of the teeth become bruised from keeping them together all the time...you can get temperature sensitivity and that's an indicator that you might be grinding..."

- Dr Alec Chemaly, Dentist

Treatment options vary from custom night guards and stress management to addressing underlying sleep issues. 

Chemaly recommends early recognition and treatment to prevent permanent harm.

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation