Teeth grinding linked to sleep apnea
By Nathan Seppa
Rhythmic grinding of teeth during sleep occurs at least once a week in as many as 8.2 percent of people, a new European study finds. The report also reveals that about half these people grind so much that they have jaw pain or tooth damage that requires dental work. Tooth grinding to that extent is called sleep bruxism.
While the cause of sleep bruxism is unknown, people who have it are significantly more likely than others to lead a stressful life, have anxiety or depression, smoke, ingest caffeine, or drink alcohol heavily, the study shows. An international team of researchers collected data over the telephone from 13,057 people age 15 or older in Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The study, the largest general-population survey of sleep bruxism, appears in the January Chest.