Meaning & use
bruxism
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablemedical
The habit of clenching or grinding the teeth, often during sleep or because of stress.
Grammar: Uncountable: suffer from bruxism, not 'a bruxism'.
Patterns
- suffer from bruxism
- bruxism caused by something
Her dentist said the worn surfaces on her teeth were a sign of bruxism.
Stress can make bruxism worse.
He wears a mouthguard at night to treat bruxism.
Common combinations
- sleep bruxism
- Sleep bruxism often goes unnoticed by the sufferer.
- treat bruxism
- Dentists often treat bruxism with a custom night guard.
- suffer from bruxism
- Many adults suffer from bruxism without knowing it.
- bruxism and stress
- Doctors link bruxism and stress in many patients.
- signs of bruxism
- Jaw pain is one of the signs of bruxism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- teeth grinding
- Teeth grinding is the plain, everyday phrase, while bruxism is the formal clinical term that also includes clenching.
- jaw clenching
- Jaw clenching describes just the tightening, whereas bruxism covers grinding and clenching together.
Word family
- bruxist noun
- a person who grinds or clenches the teeth
- brux verb
- to grind the teeth, a rare technical verb
- bruxomania noun
- a rare term for habitual grinding of teeth
Commonly confused: bruxism or brusque? bruxism or bruising?
bruxism vs brusque
Brusque describes abrupt, rude manner, and has nothing to do with teeth.
bruxism vs bruising
Bruising is discoloration of skin after an injury; bruxism relates to teeth.
Practice
A dentist who finds flattened, worn teeth in a patient might suspect ____.
Choose one answer.
Bruxism is grinding of the teeth and wears them down. Gingivitis affects gums, insomnia is poor sleep and anemia is a blood condition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bruxism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.