TEETH GRINDING INCREASED DURING PANDEMIC

According to the president of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association, Dr Jeremy Sternson, the number of Australians grinding their teeth has increased significantly over the last two years as a result of pandemic stress.

“Normally in a year you may see a handful of these patients but we were seeing three or four of these a day…”

Dr Emily Pow, a Victorian Dental Association Councillor also noticed a correlation between pandemic stress and teeth grinding.

“A classic example is a mother who is also a teacher who was homeschooling… She came in and she had had very little dental work in the past. She’s split her tooth clean in half and it had to be removed.”

Dr Pow is of the view that jaw pain, headaches and muscle tension are all related and she has been issuing more night guards during the pandemic than prior.

I myself have also noticed an increase in teeth grinding as a result of pandemic stress so there most certainly seems to be a connection.

Dr T. S. Saw OAM
Wheelers Hill Dental