How Do I Know If I Grind My Teeth in My Sleep?

Sometimes, you wake up with a sore jaw or headache. The first thing you think about is your friend who has TMJ. But can it be something else? Read on to learn about teeth grinding.

Every well-lived life gets filled with ups and downs and inevitable periods of stress. Work deadlines, the hustle and bustle of family life, and other responsibilities take their toll on your body.

However, it could be something else when sleepless nights turn into groggy mornings with jaw pain or a headache. In this blog, Ginger Rome, DDS, at The Dentists at North Cypress in Houston, Texas, explains teeth grinding and how to recapture a good night’s sleep and prevent the condition from damaging your teeth.

Teeth grinding and stress

Teeth grinding, often called bruxism, is a common condition that, according to a recent American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute survey, affects about 70% of all Americans.

Bruxism manifests differently from patient to patient. For some, it’s a side-to-side grinding. For others, it’s more of an excessive jaw-clenching issue. The condition has two main types – primary and secondary.

Primary bruxism is the variation that’s associated with anxiety or stress and can occur while you’re awake or asleep. In contrast, secondary bruxism can happen as a side effect of a prescription drug or because of an underlying neurological issue.

Regardless of the type of bruxism, many patients who grind their teeth or clench their jaw do so unconsciously, not realizing that they’re even doing it.

Telltale signs of teeth grinding

In most cases of bruxism, the first person to notice signs of the condition is the patient’s dental hygienist or dentist. Often, your dental provider discovers worn, chipped, or cracked teeth during your checkup. Other times, bruxism results show up as rough or damaged spots along the outside edges of your teeth.

Patients unaware that they grind their teeth may experience associated symptoms such as neck or ear pain, headaches, or a sore jaw. But the health implications of teeth grinding don’t stop there.

According to clinical research, patients who grind their teeth while asleep may also suffer from a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea. If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, raises your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Mouthguards mitigate teeth damage

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix for teeth grinding. At The Dentists at North Cypress, we help our patients who suffer from bruxism by creating a custom mouthguard. You’re probably familiar with mouthguards to protect your teeth while playing sports.

Custom mouthguards for bruxism work to protect your teeth and jaw. But in this case, the mouthguard provides a barrier between your teeth and jaw, protecting them from the harmful effects of excessive jaw clenching and teeth grinding.

Two visits away from your teeth-grinding fix

Getting a custom mouthguard takes two appointments at The Dentists at North Cypress. During your first appointment, your dental provider performs a comprehensive oral examination, checks your dental history, and conducts a series of oral X-rays, if needed. Your provider also asks you questions about your symptoms and concerns.

If, after reviewing the data, she determines that you are suffering from bruxism, your provider begins making your custom mouthguard. She uses an intraoral scanner to create digital impressions of your jaw and teeth to ensure your mouthguard fits perfectly. Your provider then sends the digital data to a dental laboratory that fabricates your custom mouthguard.

In about a week or so, your custom mouthguard returns from the dental lab, and you visit for your second and final appointment. During this visit, your provider checks the fit and makes adjustments. She sends you home with instructions on keeping your mouthguard clean and free from harmful chemicals or hot water that can damage it.

Remember to bring your mouthguard with you for your regular appointments so we can make sure it still fits and is usable.

Contact The Dentists at North Cypress for an evaluation by calling us today or scheduling an appointment online if you think you may be grinding your teeth.