Causes 

It is not clear that why people grind their teeth. However, it is often linked to: 

• Stress and anxiety – the most common cause of teeth grinding 
• Snoring and sleep apnoea 
• Certain medicines such as antidepressant 
• Smoking, drinking lots of alcohol and caffeine and taking drugs 

How to reduce tooth grinding? 

• Try to find ways to relax yourself such as by taking regular exercise, listening to music and doing breathing exercise 
• Going to bed at the same time every night and relaxing before bedtime 
• Take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if your jaw is painful or swollen 
• Ice pack could be useful to help to reduce jaw pain or swelling 
• Regular dental check-ups to detect early tooth damage due to grinding

You may experience the following symptoms if you grind your teeth: 

• Face, neck and shoulder pain 
• A painful jaw especially when you wake up from sleep in the morning 
• Worn-down teeth which causes sensitivity and loss of teeth and fillings 
• Headaches 
• Insufficient sleep

Treatment: 

A dentist can prescribe you a nightguard to be worn at night to protect your teeth from damage resulting from grinding. It is fitted precisely over your teeth.