teeth grinding while I sleep

My husband says I just recently started grinding my teeth while I sleep. Is there any particular reason why I would start doing this. Also can it effect my teeth in any way?

[Jordy]

I don't know why you might start.  It has a lot to due with stress and tension.  Sometimes it's just a bad habit.  But as for your teeth, if done long term it can do irreversible damage to them by causing the enamel to wear off and the tooth grinds down.  I have poor enamel, and also grind my teeth, which is a very unfortunate combination!

Look up "bruxism", that's what it's called.

[Margief60]

Ask your dentist for a mouth guard. They do a cast of yuor teeth and make it right there. It is worth it! I lost two teeth and have developed TMJ from grinding my teeth while I sleep. I have also damagedmuscles in my neck and jaw. Itg took forever to find out the cause but we finally did and I am a new person.

[LyndaM]

What was the cause of loosing your two teeth from grinding, and how did they determine damaged muscles in jaw?  What was the diagnosis and how was it resolved?  I am going through the same thing i believe...in pain, on motrin,msucle relaxants...and soreness in lower molar.

[Craig82]

You may not need a mouth guard. If it is something that you have jsut recently started doing, then it is mst probably stress. Think about your life in general... any weddings coming up? exams? personal issues? Good stress can contribute as well as bad stress.

You may need an occlusial examination - although this is a specialist area. This time of examination basically tests to see if you are biting more prominently on a single tooth. Do you wake up with a headache or jaw ache?