Some dentists say more young people are grinding their teeth

8:07 PM ETDeveloping

Health Desk

In Short: Dentists are raising concerns about a growing trend among young people grinding their teeth, according to reports from the BBC. This condition, known as bruxism, can lead to severe dental problems and is often linked to stress.

The signs of bruxism include earaches, pain near the temples, and visible changes in the shape of the jaw, as experienced by 31-year-old Ella, who had to seek treatment to address her grinding habit.

Psychotherapist Rahi Popat notes that more of his younger clients are reporting teeth grinding, often associated with stressful periods in their lives. Ella, who has bruxism, says the condition caused her masseter muscles to enlarge and her jaw to widen, highlighting the physical toll of the habit.

Experts suggest that stress is a primary trigger for bruxism, with studies indicating that many people grind their teeth as a response to daily pressures. Bruxism encompasses four different jaw movements: clenching, grinding, bracing, and thrusting.

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Nearly one in four people are thought to have bruxism, although most are unaware they grind their teeth Ella can't remember when she first started grinding her teeth at night, but she can vividly recall the excruciating jaw ache, the headaches, and being told her molars were disappearing.
However, some dentists have told the BBC they are worried about the increasing number of young people they're seeing with dental problems caused by incessant gnashing.
Here are the signs to look out for: Earache or pain near the temples without infection Teeth grinding is also mentioned more frequently in therapy according to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which says people nowadays are more aware of how their mental health impacts their body.
Psychotherapist Rahi Popat says more of his clients - particularly younger ones - say they or someone else have noticed they've been grinding their teeth, "and they can often link that to a really stressful time in their lives and realise that's when their teeth grinding either increased or even started".
"My face was changing shape and my teeth were at risk of breaking - I knew I had to do something about it." The 31-year-old has bruxism, a condition which can cause regular and often intense teeth grinding, but says the treatment she's recently had has "without a doubt" changed her life.
"And it's no surprise given that life itself nowadays can be so stressful." Ella says constant teeth grinding enlarged her masseter muscles and widened her jaw (pictured, left, before treatment and, right, afterwards) Studies, external suggest many of us Bruxers do it because of stress - but why do our jaws carry the burden of our everyday lives?

Sources

BBClink