Teeth grinding can be caused by a variety of reasons, including stress, anxiety and sleep problems, and can become exacerbated through the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and recreational drugs, as well as prescription medication such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).

Other contributing factors include:

• Bite problems or misaligned teeth
• Sleep disorders, including sleep apnoea
• Periods of high stress or disrupted sleep
• Some medications, particularly certain antidepressants

Because grinding happens in your sleep, the signs are indirect. The more of these you recognise, the more likely it is:

• Waking with a tight or aching jaw, or with headaches at the temples
• Tooth sensitivity, worn enamel, chips or fractures
• A dentist raising grinding at a check-up
• Earache or facial pain with no obvious cause
• Disturbed sleep, for you or your partner
• A lower face that has gradually squared off

That last one surprises people. The masseter muscle, used in chewing, thickens when it is overexercised, and that can produce a wide or square-looking jaw without any change in weight.

Grinding is easy to live with for years without connecting the headaches, the worn teeth and the change in face shape to the same cause.

Book your consultation and our team will examine the muscle, review your symptoms and tell you whether treatment is likely to help in your case. You can also reach us on 0207 034 5999.

The masseter attaches close to the temporomandibular joint, the hinge connecting the jaw to the skull. When the muscle is chronically overworked, the load on that joint increases, and jaw soreness, tenderness, clicking and restricted movement often follow. This overlaps with temporomandibular joint disorder, and with the wider group of temporomandibular disorders affecting the joint and the muscles around it.

Reducing the force of clenching takes pressure off the surrounding structures, which is why patients treated for grinding frequently report that the jaw ache, earache and headaches ease as well.

An important distinction: this treatment addresses the muscle, not the joint itself and not the teeth. Anyone with significant joint pain, locking, restricted opening or tooth damage should also be assessed by a dentist, since the underlying cause may need managing separately.

The appointment takes around 20 minutes. Injections are given into the masseter on each side using a fine needle. Some patients describe a slight stinging sensation, and numbing cream can be applied beforehand.

Downtime is minimal. Mild tenderness or redness at the injection sites is normal and settles within a day or two.

Results appear between 2 and 5 days after treatment, with the relief from clenching usually noticed first. Any change in the width of the jaw develops more gradually, over several weeks.

Aftercare is simple: stay upright for four hours, avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours, and avoid massaging the treated area.

At home

1. Mouth guard for teeth grinding. A mouthguard worn at night protects the teeth from grinding. It can also help you become more aware of the habit.
2. Reduce stress. Stress is a common cause. Identifying the source and managing it through exercise, meditation or therapy often reduces the grinding.
3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Both increase the likelihood of grinding, so limiting your intake can help.
4. Relax your jaw muscles. Before bed, place a warm cloth on the cheek or do some gentle jaw stretches.
5. Get enough sleep. A lack of restful sleep contributes to grinding.

In clinic

Where the grinding is persistent and the symptoms are affecting your sleep or your teeth, masseter Botox in London targets the muscle itself. Botulinum toxin injections reduce how forcefully the masseter muscles can contract, which lowers the intensity of involuntary clenching without affecting normal chewing.

Treatment takes around 20 minutes. Results are noticeable between 2 and 5 days after treatment, and the effect is temporary, lasting 3 to 4 months, so regular top-ups are needed to maintain it.

A mouthguard protects the teeth from the consequences of grinding. Treating the muscle reduces the grinding itself. For many patients the two work best together, with the dentist managing the teeth and the clinic managing the muscle.