Signs You May Be Grinding Your Teeth

Teeth grinding can damage your oral and overall health. Unfortunately, you may not even know you do it, especially if you grind your teeth while you sleep.

The good news is there are certain clues that can indicate you may grind your teeth. And the solution is often as simple as getting a mouthguard to protect your teeth while you sleep. In this blog, Joseph Yousefian, DMD, of Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens, and Adults explains the signs and symptoms of teeth grinding.

Signs of teeth grinding

If you notice any of the following things, this could indicate that you grind your teeth:

Jaw pain

One of the most obvious indicators that you could be grinding your teeth is experiencing aching or chronic pain in your jaws. Grinding your teeth can put an enormous amount of pressure on your jaws, and this can lead to jaw pain

Furthermore, teeth grinding can aggravate certain conditions, such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and even lead to tooth weakening and tooth loss.

Tight jaw muscles

If your teeth grinding is particularly severe, you may develop tight jaw muscles. Your jaws may even lock when you open or close them, such as when you chew or talk. Tight jaw muscles are also often an indicator of a TMJ disorder.

Headaches

Having headaches is also a sign that you could be grinding your teeth. If you grind your teeth at night, you may wake up in the morning with headaches. If you don’t grind your teeth during the day, you may find that your headaches gradually disappear during the course of your waking hours.

However, many people also grind their teeth while they’re awake. This can cause continuous pressure on your jaws, which can lead to headaches that don’t seem to go away.

Damage to teeth

Dental enamel can wear down as a result of chronic teeth grinding. This may be difficult for you to recognize, but your dentist or orthodontist should be able to detect it. You may be able to tell if your teeth are wearing down if you notice your teeth becoming more sensitive, especially to hot and cold.

Furthermore, teeth grinding can fracture, crack, or loosen teeth. If these issues are occurring to your teeth because of teeth grinding, your dentist or orthodontist should be able to diagnose it.

How to treat teeth grinding

When you see Dr. Yousefian, one of the first things he might do after confirming that you grind your teeth is recommend that you use a custom-made mouthguard, which is usually only worn at night.

He may also recommend performing certain exercises that can help relax your jaws, and he may also suggest taking medications that can help relax your jaws.

If you grind your teeth or suspect you do, Dr. Yousefian can help. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens, and Adults today.