How To Stop Grinding Your Teeth at Night

Teeth grinding is a dental issue that usually occurs at night while you sleep. It can lead to a multitude of issues, such as chips or sore jaws and is a result of stressors and anxiety from day-to-day life. Grinding your teeth at night can affect everyone and sometimes individuals might do this out of habit.

Here at Beyond, we understand that these things aren’t always something you can control but there are ways you can manage them to ensure you are maintaining the best oral health throughout the night.

What Causes Grinding Teeth at Night?

There is not always one definitive answer to what causes your teeth to grind, but here are some of the most common reasons why you may be grinding your teeth at night:

1. Stress or anxiety is the most common reason; if it’s not something you’ve usually found yourself doing, then evaluating and solving these stressors could help in the long run.
2. Sleeping issues, whether you snore or have sleep apnea.
3. Some medications can lead to tooth grinding.
4. Habits like smoking, drinking caffeine and drinking alcohol can encourage teeth grinding while you’re asleep, along with other dental issues.
5. It is common among children and teens but tends to stop when they reach adulthood.

What Are The Symptoms of Grinding Your Teeth at Night?

It’s important to note that during parts of the day when you are focused or daydreaming, you might grind your teeth. It’s not a habit that is restricted to nighttime, although it’s more common.

Here are some of the symptoms to look out for; if any of these occur or progressively get worse, be sure to contact us to book an emergency appointment so we can find an immediate solution. 

Here are some of the symptoms to keep an eye out for:

• Face, neck and shoulder pain.
• A painful jaw, which can lead to TMD (temporomandibular disorder).
• Worn-down teeth or cracks in your teeth can create sensitivity issues and the potential need for composite bonding or fillings.
• Headaches or migraines.
• Earache.
• Disrupted sleep.
• Sore jaw.

Grinding your teeth at night can create an array of uncomfortable issues and here at Beyond Dental, we would recommend you come to visit us as soon as you notice there is a problem. We prioritise the oral health of all our existing and new patients and want to ensure you have a comfortable night’s sleep while maintaining healthy teeth.

How To Reduce Grinding Your Teeth at Night

If you want to get ahead of the game or quickly solve the issue, try these things at home after visiting us.

Try To Relax

If grinding your teeth at night is relatively new, it is most likely due to stress. Try figuring out the source of your stress and finding solutions, or you could try to soothe yourself by listening to music, doing breathing exercises or doing regular exercise. If this doesn’t seem to work for you over some time, book a checkup and we can help establish a solution.

Change Your Bedtime Routine

Quality sleep is amazing for your overall health and could be the solution to your teeth-grinding problem. You could try new things like not using your phone an hour before bedtime, taking a shower before bed or wearing a sleep mask.

Painkillers

After visiting us here at Beyond, we might be able to recommend some painkillers to get rid of your symptoms, such as headaches and jaw aches. Alternatively, if you need something quick, choose over-the-counter medication that has anti-inflammatory qualities.

Regular Checkups

We would always recommend that you come in for a visit if you have any concerns about your dental health. Through regular checkups, we might be able to spot that you’ve been grinding your teeth before symptoms arise. Here, we can implement some preventative dentistry measures and give you tailored advice.

Treatment for Grinding Your Teeth at Night

If you or your child have been struggling with grinding their teeth at night and at-home solutions don’t seem to be cutting it, here are some alternatives we can offer to make your teeth healthy through the night.

Splints or Mouthguards

These are designed to keep your teeth safe and secure from clenching and grinding damage. We designed them perfectly for your teeth, to make sleeping that much easier and more comfortable.

Dental Correction

In more severe cases, if your teeth have been damaged through grinding and clenching, we can essentially reshape the chewing surfaces of your teeth or use a crown to repair the damage.

Final Thoughts

Here at Beyond Dental, we believe that any small concern should be addressed, especially grinding your teeth at night, and therefore we welcome any questions you might have. We want the best for our patients and finding these signs early on is the best way to prevent any dental issues in the future for you and your children. If there are any concerns, please contact us and book an appointment as soon as possible.