Most bruxers are not aware of their bruxism, and only 5% go on to develop symptoms, such as jaw pain, migraine and headaches, which will require treatment. In many cases, a sleeping partner or parent will notice the bruxism before the person experiencing the problem.
The symptoms commonly accompany Sleep Apnea or Upper Respiratory Airway Syndrome, which if left untreated, can lead to a multitude of other health concerns. If one becomes aware that they are regularly clenching their jaw during sleep, it is highly advisable further to investigate this by means of an at-home sleep study.
Undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders can lead to problems such as insomnia, weight gain, short term memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insulin resistance, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, reflux, IBS, erectile dysfunction, glaucoma, CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and even SCD (sudden cardiac death).