Teeth grinding at night, called sleep bruxism, is when people unintentionally grind or clench their teeth. It is estimated that sleep bruxism affects 15% to 40% of children and 8% to 10% of adults. However, the numbers may be even higher since many people may not realize they are grinding their teeth and may not understand their symptoms. Night guards for teeth grinding offer a significant remedy.
Signs You Grind Your Teeth
The symptoms include headaches or facial pain, especially in the morning, sore jaw muscles, jaw locking, snapping, and clicking into place, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), pain while eating, difficulty opening and closing your mouth, a feeling of tiredness due to poor sleep, earaches, inner-cheek indentations due to damage from friction along with wear and tear on mouth tissue, and excessive tooth wear and tear. Night guards for teeth grinding can address these worrisome problems.
How Harmful Is Teeth Grinding?
Chronic teeth grinding can result in cracking or fracturing your teeth, thus requiring crowns or even dental implants. It can result in wearing down tooth enamel, leading to periodontal disease or lost teeth. It can cause chronic pain in the head, face, neck, and ears. It can lead to migraine headaches, tinnitus, and noise sensitivity. And it can lead to TMJ disorder. Night guards for teeth grinding can be the first line of defense for these consequences.
What Causes Teeth Grinding While Sleeping?
Teeth grinding at night can be caused by stress and anxiety. Certain medications may cause bruxism. Alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes can trigger it. It can be caused by a jaw issue such as an abnormal bite or misaligned and missing teeth. Further, there is a correlation between sleep apnea and teeth grinding.
The Importance and Benefits of Night Guards for Teeth Grinding
Consider these benefits of night guards for teeth grinding:
- Prevents tooth damage by ensuring that top and bottom teeth don’t come into contact while you sleep.
- Reduces jaw tension and pain. A dental guard made by your dentist is made specifically for your teeth, so it fits comfortably into your mouth.
- Prevents headaches and toothaches. A dentist-made night guard can also be made to help align your teeth, thus correcting an underbite or overbite which will help prevent jaw pain.
- Contributes to more healthy sleep patterns, thus helping you sleep more stress-free, resulting in a better night’s sleep.
- Helps prevent snoring because when your jaw is clenched, it creates breathing problems. And not breathing properly during sleep leads to snoring.
- Saves money because the damage done due to teeth clenching can be costly.
How to Get Night Guards to Prevent Teeth Grinding
Dentists typically diagnose sleep bruxism based on a thorough physical exam and a review of your symptoms. A dentist can make a night mouth guard that is custom-fit to your teeth, which is more effective than a do-it-yourself mouth guard.
Seek Professional Dental Care
Contact Old Mt. Pleasant Dentistry, located right off Ben Sawyer Blvd. in Mt. Pleasant. S.C. for dental care you can trust. We use treatment plans that are practical and use the utmost care for pain control using the most advanced technology. To us, the patient is the most important person in the office.