Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) 

Are you or your child/teen grinding his/her teeth often, mostly during sleep?

If so, read the information below or click this button to obtain more
interventions and screen yourself or your child for other sleep disorders:  


Teeth Grinding

Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) is defined as a grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep or waking hours. Teeth grinding is a Parasomnia. A Parasomnia is described as “an unpleasant or undesirable behavioral or experiential phenomena that occurs predominantly during the sleep period” (Mahowald, Chokroverty, Kader, & Schenck, 1997, p. 67). Simply stated, parasomnias like teeth grinding are unusual movements or behaviors during sleep, many of which occur when the child or adult is transitioning from the deepest sleep level of Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep into Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.  It is believed that the parasomnia occurs when the individual gets “stuck” between level 4 of NREM sleep (slow wave or deep sleep) and REM (dream state) sleep.  As a result, the brain is not transitioning smoothly from one sleep stage to another. However, teeth grinding can occur throughout the night.

If you or your child/adolescent is grinding his/her teeth often, you can click the button above to SCREEN for this problem and other common sleep disorders.  This screening report will give you more information, some intervention ideas, and treatment possibilities for teeth grinding or other major sleep disorder that might occur in conjunction with teeth grinding.  Please click onto ”Parent Screen Your Child” above (even for adult screenings) to screen yourself or your child with the Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students (for use by adults or parents of children between 2 years and 19 years) and get valuable intervention ideas.

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