An estimated one in 20 adults and three in 20 children unconsciously grind their teeth at night. It is the sound of bruxism. While the noise may disturb spouses or children, it has a far more distressing effect on the sleeper.

Nocturnal grinding can exert thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch on the surfaces of teeth. It can be rough not only on teeth but on the supporting bone, the gums and jaw joint.

For many years, bruxism was attributed to the release of tension from emotional stress. However, many dental authorities today believe that the causes exist in the patient's mouth. Night grinding may be an unconscious effort to correct irregularities of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Dentists term this a malocclusion. They grind away to eliminate a spot that is too high or to find a comfortable place to fit the upper and lower teeth together.

If you have this nightly grind problem, your first stop should be your dentists office... before you do any serious damage to your teeth.