Bruxism (Teeth grinding)

Bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding, is the clenching together of the bottom and upper jaw accompanied by the grinding of the lower set of teeth with the upper set. Bruxism affects between 10 - 50% of the population depending on the particular study sited. Bruxism is a subconscious behavior so many people do not realize that they are doing it! Often it is the partner who tells them about the nighttime sounds that their bruxism produces.

Although it can occur during the waking hours, bruxism most frequently occurs while we sleep. During sleep, the biting force (the force at which the jaws clench together) can be up to six times greater than the pressure during waking hours. Consequently, significant damage is much more likely to occur with this nighttime bruxism.

Mouth guards are generally used to treat bruxism. This is good as the mouth guard takes the punishment that your teeth normally take. However the It is now well known that stress and anxiety play the major role in causing bruxism. Hypnosis is an excellent way to uncover the cause of the stress, eliminate the stress and stop the bruxism.