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Bruxism is the clenching and grinding of the teeth, often during sleep, that effects the majority of adults at some point in their life. It results from the inappropriate activation of the chewing reflex. When asleep, the person's chewing reflex is active but the higher order brain processes that would control it during wakefulness are inactive. Bruxism can cause damage to the teeth by chipping and wearing them down.

There a variety of possible causes of bruxism. One possibility is that there is a lack of symmetry in the teeth which triggers the reflex during sleep. Digestive problems are another possibility. Disturbed sleep patterns may also be a cause. Drug use can also be a cause of bruxism, particularly the use of amphetamines and the over-use of GHB.

There are a number of emotionally related causes of bruxism. Anxiety, due to a variety of personal problems such as worries about work or family, for example. But stress, tension, suppressed anger, frustration and possessing of a generally aggressive personality type can all be causes.

There are also a number of possible dietary causes of bruxism. Drinking alcohol, for example, is thought to increase teeth grinding. Similarly, the consumption of products containing caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, and cola drinks also increase the problem.

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