---
title: "What Is Bruxism (teeth grinding)? Dental Glossary"
description: "Bruxism is clenching, grinding or gnashing your teeth. It can happen while you are awake or asleep, and many people do not know they do it."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/bruxism-teeth-grinding
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Conditions

# Bruxism (teeth grinding)

Bruxism is clenching, grinding or gnashing your teeth. It can happen while you are awake or asleep, and many people do not know they do it.

Bruxism is a condition where a person grinds, clenches or gnashes the teeth. It can occur when awake or asleep. It often happens without you noticing.

Over time, grinding can wear down [enamel](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/enamel), chip or crack teeth and strain the jaw joints. See [tooth wear](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-wear) and [TMJ disorder](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tmj-disorder-tmd).

A dentist can look for wear patterns. One common option is a custom night guard, which sits between the teeth to protect them. Our office describes this on its [night guards page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/night-guards).

[Town Center Dental can helpNight Guards for Bruxism](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/night-guards)

## Related terms

-   [Night guard](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/night-guard)
-   [Tooth wear](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-wear)
-   [TMJ disorder (TMD)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tmj-disorder-tmd)
-   [Occlusal splint](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/occlusal-splint)
-   [Enamel erosion](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/enamel-erosion)

## Sources

1.  [NIDCR: Bruxism](https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/bruxism)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)