Teeth Grinding is also called Bruxism involves movement of your jaws while holding your teeth together. This causes more damage than Teeth Clenching which is just holding your teeth forcefully together. Both these activities can cause substantial damage if not identified and stopped in their early stages. Although this is a very common phenomena and exists in various degrees of severity it is important to know how teeth grinding or teeth clenching can affect you.
Usually teeth grinding is more serious than teeth clenching.
Because it often occurs during sleep, most people are unaware that they grind their teeth. However, a dull, constant headache or a tender or painful jaw is a definite symptom of bruxism. People often first learn that they grind their teeth from their partner who hears the grinding at night.
Although the causes of Bruxism are not cleary known, there are several known factors. Stressful conditions, abnormalities in sleep, crooked or misaligned teeth or a severe bite could be a cause in many cases.
If you suspect you may be grinding your teeth, talk to a dentist. They can examine your mouth and jaw for signs of bruxism, such as jaw tenderness and abnormalities in your teeth.
Teeth clenching on the other hand is more prevalent in women & under stressed conditions while awake.
