Hello doctor, I have been biting the teeth at night for about five years. Is this harmful to my health?
Hello,  Welcome to icliniq.com.  I understand your concern. Unfortunately yes, this is harmful to your dental and overall health.  Bruxism (teeth grinding or night grinding) is not a condition but one of the main symptoms of TMJ disorder. This could be a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issue. Temporomandibular joint is the jaw joint between the upper jaw and lower jaw and involves multiple and complex structures like a disc between two jaws, chewing muscles, and the joining bone structure.  A complete TMJ and dental evaluation should be done to determine what is causing your bruxism. It could be because of  1. Tensed chewing muscles  2. Disparity in the disc  3. Changes in jaw bone structure.  Other than TMJ issues psychological stress, malaligned teeth, multiple dental treatments, and recent dental injury or infection could also cause this jaw condition. Visit a TMJ specialist to identify the cause.  Initially, a splint similar to a nightguard (called deprogrammer appliance) will be suggested as a diagnostic appliance to identify the cause. Once the cause is determined, the treatment depends on it. Untreated bruxism may lead to multiple enamel chip outs, weak teeth, and gums and generalized tooth sensitivity. So please visit your dentist as soon as possible and get it treated.  I hope this helps.