When a teenager wakes up with a headache, under-age drinking may not be to blame! Dental hygienist Gerald Wennerstrom explains the reasons for nocturnal tooth-grinding, and suggests what to do about it.

Raisingkids member's problem
My teenage daughter grinds her teeth at night. Will this cause long-term damage? How can I stop her from doing it?

Gerald Wennerstrom's reply
Bruxism, or the grinding and/or clenching of the teeth during sleep, is very common in teenagers. The teeth may grind together creating what is sometimes an almost unbearable sound. Also, the jaws may clench tightly during sleep and the person wakes up with headaches and tired jaws.

Bruxism can be mild and occasional, or can be so frequent and/or so violent that the teeth are damaged. Bruxism can cause permanent damage to the teeth, jaw pain or earaches, keep other members of the house awake, TMJ (temporalmandibular joint) problems, crack fillings, and misalign the teeth.

The abnormal coming together of the upper and lower jaws can also cause bruxism. However, the main reasons for teeth grinding in teenagers appears to be anxiety, tension, stress, and suppressed anger. Remember when you were a teenager and the hassles of growing up you went through? Nothing has changed. In very severe cases, psychotherapy or counseling may help to get rid of or deal with their anger, anxiety or stress.

Bruxism occurs fairly often amongst teenagers, and can be seen as a part of growing up. So what can be done? A night guard or protective dental appliance can be made by your dentist can be helpful. Or, if need be, the bite surfaces/bite pattern can be adjusted. If the grinding is constant, and your daughter is suffering from uncomfortable symptoms, take her to your dentist for an evaluation.