Ever wake up in the morning with a sore jaw? Have you ever noticed how worn down your teeth are getting? You may have bruxism. Grinding, gnashing, or clenching your teeth is known as bruxism.
You may subconsciously clench or grind your teeth while sleeping if you have bruxism. Several things can induce bruxism. Although it may run in families, it can also affect people who have never had a history of teeth grinding. Bruxism can result from stress, anxiety, improper dental alignment, and some sleep disorders, including sleep apnea.
What are the Signs of Teeth Grinding?
Teeth grinding at night can lead to a variety of issues. Few are less severe than others, but they can cause long-term dental problems.
- Temporomandibular (TMJ) pain, which affects the joints that connect the jaw to the skull
- Have chipped, dulled, or fractured teeth
- Your jaws are more sensitive than usual.
- You might hear a popping or clicking sound when you open and close your mouth.
- Tooth enamel loss
- a rise in throbbing headaches
- You can’t fully open or shut your mouth
Why Should You Get a Night Guard?
The best treatment for bruxism can be readily addressed by sleeping with a night guard on your teeth. Mouth guards, nocturnal bite plates, dental guards, and bite splints are all terms for nighttime tooth protectors. They function by putting up a wall between your teeth.
The night guard for teeth helps relieve tension and cushion the muscles in your jaw when you clench your jaw. This cushioning relieves facial and jaw pain while also protecting the enamel of your teeth. They resemble snoring cures in appearance. Nightguards are simply used to reduce the damage caused by teeth grinding and the pain associated with the disorder.
No one is exempt when it comes to teeth grinding. People of all ages may experience teeth grinding regardless of their oral health issues.
To avoid long-term consequences, it’s critical to protect your teeth from grinding and clenching. If it is not treated properly, bruxism can lead to joint pain, fractured teeth, and tooth loss.
Even though purchasing a night guard may seem pricey, doing hours of uncomfortable dental work would be much more costly. We also urge you to bring your night guard to your dental hygiene appointments so that we can inspect and clean it. With the right care and maintenance, many of these guards have lasted longer than ten years.
McCall Dental is your NE Calgary dentist that offers night guards to help you prevent the effects of bruxism. Call us at 587-747-0888 to book an appointment.