The causes of bruxism, or teeth grinding, are not fully understood, so determining symptoms involves a bit of guesswork, as other causes for the same conditions can exist. If symptoms of bruxism are noticed during the day, such as teeth grinding, jaw clenching, or just abnormal pressure and muscle tension around the mouth, it is easier to determine a broader range of symptoms that may be occurring outside of conscious awareness. Most bruxism occurs at night, however, or takes place unconsciously during day-to-day activities.
One of the primary symptoms of bruxism is what's known as temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ). This involves abnormally high wear of the teeth, as well as wearing down of the cartilage at the joint level of each temporomandibular joint on either side of the head. It also includes high levels of stress on the muscles of the jaw and face region, as well as on the ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves that keep all the connective tissue alive and healthy.
Common symptoms of bruxism can be fairly broad, but include such elements as difficulty in chewing food and a clicking or popping sound when the mouth is moved through a range of motions. Jaw pain can also spring up when the mouth is exercised through an otherwise normal range of motion, and this can lead to related pain in the face and ears or produce headaches as well. Unconscious motions in the jaw area can also lead to damage to the inside of the cheeks as well as the tongue. People with symptoms of bruxism often have sleep disorders and sometimes teeth grinding that is loud enough to wake a partner. Among the most obvious symptoms of bruxism, however, are fractured and chipped teeth with worn enamel and sensitivity that shouldn't exist for the otherwise normal dental health of the individual.
Certain psychological symptoms of bruxism can also arise from oral parafunctional activity, where the teeth and jaw region are used in a manner that is uncommon. These include increased levels of daily stress, and emotional states of anxiety or depression which seem to have no discernibly traceable cause otherwise. Some cases can lead to eating disorders when the region becomes painful, as well as insomnia due to the fact that sleeping might contribute to symptoms more than at any other time of the day.
Treatments for bruxism often involve habit modification, as one of the primary causes is assumed to be stress in daily life, or habitual patterns of unconscious jaw activity that can be unlearned. If the condition persists, dental guards can be inserted at night to cut down on the activity and protect the teeth from further damage. Methods of increasing pain tolerance are often suggested as well, and may include taking over-the-counter pain medication or muscle relaxants for limited periods of time until relaxation or physical therapy techniques begin to have an effect.