Spring Break
The daily grind
Experts say teeth grinding can happen consciously, could be potentially serious
Frank Pellegrino
Issue date: 5/4/09 Section: Money/Health
While sitting in class, sophomore Jenna Campbell noticed a clacking sound. She said after a while of listening, she discovered the sound came from her professor.
Campbell said she had a professor who bruxed his teeth a lot.
"It was kind of distracting at times when he was giving lectures," Campbell said. "It was subtle, but noticeable and frequent. He would do it at least like once a minute."
Dr. Nathan Fleming, a doctor of dental sciences at Eau Claire Family Dental, 1018 Regis Ct., said he has seen a wide variety of bruxism cases.
"It's probably been diagnosed for quite a while," Fleming said. "But as far as being treated, it is happening more and more now on a consistent basis."
Fleming said there are many warning signs that are associated with bruxism. The most common symptoms are a sore jaw, teeth becoming temperature sensitive and flattening of teeth, he said.
"It can wear your teeth down so you are exposing a lower level that has nerves in them," Fleming said. "When the nerves are exposed they become very sensitive to hot and cold, sweets and other things like that."
Another symptom is causing damage to the TMJ joint, which can be potentially dangerous, Fleming said. Someone suffering from bruxism can wear the joint down to the point where he or she actually starts to feel significant pain there, he said.
Other things such as an earache or headache, chronic facial pain or chewed tissue on the inside of the cheek are all common side effects as well, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site.
Fleming and the Mayo Clinic site both stated that one of the easiest ways to tell is by hearing it.
However, Fleming added that this can be difficult because so many people do it self-consciously while sleeping at night, and they have no idea what's happening until it is too late. Moreover, he said it is typically the person's partner who notices first because it can be loud.
"I hope it doesn't happen to me," Campbell said. "I guess there is really no way of knowing for sure, and it's an uncomfortable situation."
Campbell said she had a professor who bruxed his teeth a lot.
"It was kind of distracting at times when he was giving lectures," Campbell said. "It was subtle, but noticeable and frequent. He would do it at least like once a minute."
Dr. Nathan Fleming, a doctor of dental sciences at Eau Claire Family Dental, 1018 Regis Ct., said he has seen a wide variety of bruxism cases.
"It's probably been diagnosed for quite a while," Fleming said. "But as far as being treated, it is happening more and more now on a consistent basis."
Fleming said there are many warning signs that are associated with bruxism. The most common symptoms are a sore jaw, teeth becoming temperature sensitive and flattening of teeth, he said.
"It can wear your teeth down so you are exposing a lower level that has nerves in them," Fleming said. "When the nerves are exposed they become very sensitive to hot and cold, sweets and other things like that."
Another symptom is causing damage to the TMJ joint, which can be potentially dangerous, Fleming said. Someone suffering from bruxism can wear the joint down to the point where he or she actually starts to feel significant pain there, he said.
Other things such as an earache or headache, chronic facial pain or chewed tissue on the inside of the cheek are all common side effects as well, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site.
Fleming and the Mayo Clinic site both stated that one of the easiest ways to tell is by hearing it.
However, Fleming added that this can be difficult because so many people do it self-consciously while sleeping at night, and they have no idea what's happening until it is too late. Moreover, he said it is typically the person's partner who notices first because it can be loud.
"I hope it doesn't happen to me," Campbell said. "I guess there is really no way of knowing for sure, and it's an uncomfortable situation."
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