What is bruxism (teeth grinding)?
Bruxism is the condition of clenching and grinding your teeth. It usually occurs unconsciously without being aware of it, and can also occur when you are asleep or awake.

People usually clench their teeth unknowingly during stressful times or they may grind their teeth at night while sleeping. Over time, this can put pressure on the jaw and teeth, leading to teeth, jaw and other dental problems.
Most people experience bruxism, but it is more common in childhood and adolescence.
Symptoms and causes of bruxism
The symptoms and exact causes of bruxism are not always clear, but there are factors that are associated with these conditions. These include:
Symptoms of bruxism
If you are clenching or grinding your teeth excessively, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Excessive teeth clenching or grinding.
- Broken, worn, cracked teeth.
- Toothache and increased tooth sensitivity.
- Tension and pain, especially in the jaw and facial muscles, which sometimes causes temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
- Ringing in the ears and pain.
- Head and facial pain.
- Difficulty in jaw movements and difficulty in eating.
- Sleep disorders.
Causes of bruxism
A distinction can be made between the causes of bruxism as sleep bruxism and awake bruxism.
When we look at the risk factors for bruxism in general, the causes of teeth greening include the following:
- Stress: Increased stress or distressing situations and the resulting anger and disappointments
- Age: It is more common in children and young people, and decreases with age.
- Snoring and sleep apnea: There is a relationship between snoring and sleep apnea and teeth grinding.
- Lifestyle: Teeth grinding problems may occur in individuals who smoke and consume alcohol more than normal.
- Certain medications: The use of medications such as anxiety and psychological medications can rarely have side effects.
- Genetic factors: If there is a history of bruxism in your family, it can be seen genetically in other family members.
- Personality type: The risk of bruxism may increase in individuals with aggressive or nervous characters and personalities.
- Misaligned jaw structure or missing teeth
How can I reduce teeth grinding and prevent bruxism?
Here are some effective steps you can take to prevent and treat bruxism and reduce teeth grinding:
- Create a healthy sleep routine, try to go to bed at the same time every night and make sure the room is quiet and conducive to sleep.
- Take painkillers if you have complications or swelling in your jaw
- Try ways to reduce stress, such as listening to music, exercising, meditating.
- Go to your doctor for regular dental check-ups
- Use mouth guards that prevent teeth grinding, such as mouth guards for bruxism.
- Avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs
Contact our Medical Dental Turkey aesthetic dental clinic and consult a dentist and get checked in the following cases.
If your children grind their teeth,
If your spouse tells you that you grind your teeth while you sleep at night,
If you have problems such as cracks or fractures in your teeth and as a result, you experience pain in your jaw and ear.