// BBC HEALTH NEWS — SALUTE
Some dentists say more young people are grinding their teeth - are you one of them?
Nearly one in four people are thought to have bruxism, although most are unaware they grind their teeth
Ella can't remember when she first started grinding her teeth at night, but she can vividly recall the excruciating jaw ache, the headaches, and being told her molars were disappearing.
"I was in so much pain," Ella says. "My face was changing shape and my teeth were at risk of breaking - I knew I had to do something about it."
The 31-year-old has bruxism, a condition which can cause regular and often intense teeth grinding, but says the treatment she's recently had has "without a doubt" changed her life.
Bruxism affects millions like Ella across the UK, external. Some studies suggest nearly one in four people experience the condition, although many may be unaware until symptoms appear.
According to the British Dental Association there is some anecdotal evidence that bruxism is becoming more common, but no specific figures. However, some dentists have told the BBC they are worried about the increasing number of young people they're seeing with dental problems caused by incessant gnashing.
"It is definitely on the rise," Dr Aditi Desai, president of the British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine (BSDSM), says. "And it's no surprise given that life itself nowadays can be so stressful."
Ella says constant teeth grinding enlarged her masseter muscles and widened her jaw (pictured, left, before treatment and, right, afterwards)
Studies, external suggest many of us Bruxers do it because of stress - but why do our jaws carry the burden of our everyday lives? What can we do about it? And can it actually be a good thing in some cases?
Bruxism is an umbrella term which groups together four different jaw movements - clenching, grinding, bracing and thrusting.