30th July 2020
4 Signs You Might Need a Night Guard for Teeth Grinding
Do you ever wake up after your night’s sleep with a headache or a sore jaw? The chances are you might be grinding your teeth at night which is causing these issues, without you even knowing it. Because the majority of this activity occurs whilst you’re sleeping, it’s hard to tell whether you actually grind your teeth.
There are five common signs and symptoms that are identified by your dentist that can determine whether you actually grind your teeth at night. The technical term for this is bruxism. If these are apparent, a solution that’s normally suggested after your consultation is a night guard for teeth grinding. Often the signs and symptoms identified can determine whether this is the correct solution.
If you’re experiencing the following symptoms when you wake up in the morning, now would be the time to consider booking a consultation with us to decide whether a night guard for teeth grinding is the right solution for you.
Waking up with a sore jaw or teeth pain
When your teeth grind at night it puts strain on your jaw and causes your muscles to inflame in the process. When you wake up, you’re likely to feel pain in your jaw muscles and make it difficult for your jaw to manoeuvre during the day. This can provide difficulty when you talk or chew food and may experience a clicking or popping sound whilst you move your jaw. This can be an extremely common symptom for suffering from bruxism.
You wake up with a headache
Whilst waking up with a headache can have several causes, if it’s a regular occurrence it’s likely that you’re grinding your teeth at night. Depending on the pressure being applied to your jaw and how vigorous the grinding is, your headaches could be mild or severe. Typically, the headaches will occur around the sides, centre and at the back of your head. The headaches are as a result of the pressure being applied to your jaws.
Wear on your tooth appears visible
Considering how often you’re likely to be grinding your teeth, it’ll come to a point where your teeth can no longer take the pressure and start to show signs of wear and tear. In doing so, your enamel will reduce and leave your teeth exposed to sensitivity. Visible signs your teeth are wearing include:
- Your teeth appear shorter
- There are visible cracks
- Molars look flat at the top
- You have chips in your tooth that you don’t realise where they came from
You’re told that you grind your teeth
Probably the most embarrassing way to find out that you’re grinding your teeth is someone actually telling you. If you live with a partner or family member, during the night they may hear the sounds that you make at night, keeping them up at night or disturbing their sleep. If that’s the case, you’re very likely to need a night guard for teeth grinding.
Using a night guard for teeth grinding
If you suffer from the symptoms above, visiting the team here at Dental Solutions can help us to better understand where you need a night guard for teeth grinding. We’ll take you through a consultation where we’ll review your symptoms and the issues you have and then provide a solution to your problems. Contact us today to book an appointment and one of our dedicated team will be in touch with you.
