How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth at Night
Grinding and clenching your teeth in your sleep, a condition called bruxism can be quite a serious matter, with devastating impacts on your oral health and quality of life. Your trusted team at High Street Dentistry will help get your teeth grinding in check so you can safeguard your smile’s health and enjoy restful sleep once again.
What Are the Symptoms of Bruxism?
The most common symptoms of bruxism include morning headaches and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. Patients also report sleep disruptions, sore gums, increased tooth sensitivity, tooth wear, chipped or loose teeth, facial pain, ear pain, and stiffness of the neck and shoulders.
Bruxism and Your Oral Health
Chronic nighttime teeth clenching and grinding can cause significant tooth wear, leading to tooth sensitivity. Moreover, the forces exerted when you grind your teeth in your sleep can result in chipped, fractured, or loose teeth. It can also damage your restorations, including implants, veneers, or bridgework.
How Can You Stop Grinding Your Teeth?
One of the primary causes of bruxism is stress. Relaxation methods such as listening to music, deep breathing, taking walks, massages, or warm baths before bed can help. If you continue to struggle with stress and anxiety, you may want to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider.
Some people find that avoiding stimulants, such as caffeine or alcohol can reduce teeth grinding. In some cases, bruxism is a side effect of medications, so you may want to talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of switching drugs to relieve your symptoms.
How Is Teeth Grinding Treated?
When you visit High Street Dentistry for your routine dental exams and cleanings, we will check for tell-tale signs of bruxism, including tooth wear. We may recommend a custom mouthguard known as a night guard, which is the best and most effective way to treat nighttime grinding and clenching. Your custom oral appliance will protect your teeth from damage while reducing jaw pain.
If you’ve already sustained damage to your natural teeth or restorations, we will need to repair them to restore your oral health and prevent further deterioration. Our goal is to ensure you maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime.
Bruxism Treatment Near Me
Visit High Street Dentistry in Jefferson City, MO, to learn more about protecting your smile from the harms of nighttime teeth grinding. Our team looks forward to resorting to your oral health, alleviating your bruxism symptoms, and helping you enjoy rejuvenating, restful sleep once again. Call us and schedule your appointment today!