Teeth grinding often causes head aches

Teeth clenching and grinding is an unpleasant yet common, as everyday stress and money worries take their toll. Most of the teeth grinding occurs at night, resulting in headaches, shooting pains and worn teeth.

Most people don’t realise the cause of the pain until a dentist spots it, with wear, flaking enamel or even a fractured tooth being the tell tale signs of teeth grinding.

A full explanation for teeth grinding is not known, but the most likely factor is stress, dentist Dr Andre Hedger says. ‘Often the reason they are doing the grinding is stress, the recession. We have never seen so many stressed patients. They all say things have changed in the workplace and they are working longer hours’.

Lack of studies means the actual number of teeth grinders is not known, however the British Dental Health Foundation have reported a rise in calls relating to teeth grinding and a poll of dentists by the British Dental Association shows it’s increasing, with some saying it’s up by as much as 30 per cent. One dentist reported ‘I have definitely seen a huge interest in grinding-related problems since the start of the recession, I would say I am probably seeing about five times as many cases as usual’.

There may be other causal factors for tooth grinding including the anatomy of the jaw, the shape of the jawbone, teeth position and Western food. Dr Hedger explains ‘it is common in the West because we have underdeveloped upper jaws. We have a very soft diet – our jaws are getting smaller and more crowded.’

For those who grind their teeth treatment varies from a nightguard, in the form of a sport gumshield, to muscle massage, counseling to reduce stress and even hypnosis.
Dentists say the most important thing is getting treatment early.