"Coping with the nightly grind..."

this article is taken from the Straits Times (Mind Your Body Section)

"People who grind their teeth in their sleep may be stress-filled masochists, but there are other causes....

The medical term is bruxism. It can occur during the day or at night. Sleep bruxism is the one that can go unnoticed. You know if you are clenching your teeth during the day, but how can you know what you are doing during your sleep?

Experts say that 8 to 27 per cent of people grind their teeth - with that number evenly spread between the sexes - though as bruxers are unaware of the habit, this figure could be as high as 80 per cent.

It is most frequent from teenhood to the 40s, says Dr Ernest Rex Tan, director, Smile Inc Dental Surgeons. It tends to decrease with age.

Bruxism is listed in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders where it is the third most common form of sleep disorder, after sleep talking and snoring.

So how can non-food chewing damage your teeth? Prof Yap explains that when you chew your food, you deliver a force of about 175 pounds per square inch (psi) to your teeth. But when there is no food to absorb the impact, the force of grinding your teeth can be seven or eight times more powerful.

Forceful grinding can lead to cracked and chipped enamel, hairline fractures, wearing the teeth down to the gumline, loss of natural teeth as well as the restorations that replace them, and jaw disorders.

Signs of bruxism include teeth grinding that is loud enough to wake your partner; teeth that are worn down, flattened or chipped; jaw pain or tightness in the jaw muscles; dull morning headaches; chewed tissue on the inside of your cheek; or earache.

Limiting your intake of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are other preventive measures.
Finally, to tackle the stress issue, the doctors suggest professional counselling, exercise, meditation and relaxation techniques."

So, the conclusion is:"If you have any of these signs, go see a dentist. Relax. There is nothing to be scared of."

I did... even though my condition is pretty minor, but heyys, prevention is better than cure... though that mouthguard (which can be custom-made to limit the damage of bruxism. It doesn't prevent grinding but at least it is a piece of plastic that is being ground!) cost me almost 350 dollars (equivalent to 175 euros!!)....

**grasped** i have been "biting" at 175 euros for the last 1 month??! well, to look good, you have to pay a price.... =P