'Dramatic' increase in teeth clenching, grinding during pandemic: dentist

Dentist Scott Leckie believes a major cause in the rise in cases of the dental condition bruxism is stress. (Source: Michelle Gerwing/CTV News Winnipeg)

Many of us have suffered from tension headaches or know someone who has dealt with the painful condition.

One Manitoba dentist says the culprit of this common type of headache could be bruxism - a dental condition that is being diagnosed more and more frequently.

“It’s because you’re squeezing the jaw and that's where the muscles and the tension headache come from, but you are wearing your teeth at the same time,” said Dr. Scott Leckie, dentist and president of the Manitoba Dental Association.

Dr. Leckie said bruxism, which is clenching or grinding your teeth, happens when you are sleeping or in deep concentration and you do not catch yourself doing it.

He said it can cause many issues, like muscle pain, joint pain, loosening of your teeth and destruction of the supportive structures like gums and bone.

It appears to be a pressing issue south of the border, too. According to a recent Consumer Report, American Dental Association statistics showed the number of patients reporting these symptoms has increased by 69 per cent since 2020.

“International studies, Canadian studies, have shown that that has increased over the COVID pandemic,” said Dr. Leckie.

While the actual prevalence may be hard to gauge, he said, the increase in diagnosis has been ‘dramatic’ and the major link to the climb in cases is stress.

"With the stress levels going up, so does the bruxism, clenching and grinding," he said. "Certainly as you get stressed, you're tense. You start squeezing muscles, and the easy one to just do is your jaw."

Dr. Leckie said some people clench and grind for a long time before they notice any symptoms and decide to bring it up with a dentist.

"You start seeing a lot of people complaining about headaches and sensitivity in their teeth that lasts a little bit longer than the normal sensitivity."

He added people can also notice muscle pain on the side of their face and even up to the top of their head.

Bruxism is treatable, and Dr. Leckie said there are several different options starting with heat therapy and stretching. Patients can also get physiotherapy or use medication like pain killers, anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants. In some cases he said Botox can help relax muscle movement, but what works ‘fabulously’ are nighttime mouth guards.

“If you don’t treat it or if you ignore it for too long, you'll see things like long-term pain arthritis in the joint, the TM joint which is just in front of your ear."

He said teeth can also break because of the constant stress.

Both Dr. Leckie and Consumer Reports say scheduling a visit with your dentist can help figure out how severe your case may be and what’s the best action plan.