Frequently I find that my patients suffer from tooth grinding as a result of work or social related stress. An article about Stress and bruxism published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation found that anxiety experienced in social circumstances elevates the risk of bruxism, which can cause jaw pain, tooth wear and fractures. It has been known for a long time that stress and anxiety are related to acute gum disease but this new finding highlights another dimension of the stress problem that lead to dental consequences.