The Risk Factors of Bruxism

Bruxism is a disease characterized by the grinding, gnashing, and clenching of your teeth. There are two types of bruxism, the type where you unconsciously clench your teeth while you’re awake (awake bruxism) and the type where you grind your teeth while you’re asleep(sleep bruxism). The root cause of bruxism has not been pinpointed; however, there are a variety of risk factors that may be increasing your likelihood of grinding your teeth. These include:

• Stress, anxiety, anger, and frustration.
• Misaligned bite.
• Medications. Some psychiatric medicines, such as antidepressants, may cause bruxism.
• Other substances. Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and recreational drugs may increase the risk of bruxism.
• Some mental and medical disorders may also cause bruxism. Examples include sleep apnea, PTSD, Parkinson’s disease, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and dementia.
• Personality Type. A hyperactive or aggressive personality type can increase your chances of bruxism.
• Age. Bruxism is very common in children but may go away during adulthood. However, for some bruxers, this is not the case.
• Genetics.

What can I do to reduce my risk?

While some factors are uncontrollable, such as your age, genetics, and personality type, and other factors require professional intervention, such as medications and disorders, there are some factors that you can control by making lifestyle changes. if you believe you are at risk or  have any symptoms, here are some ways you can mitigate your risk and prevent your bruxism from causing further damage.