Do your mouth and jaw feel tense, tight and sore each morning? Those aches could be a sign that you’re grinding your teeth at night. Teeth grinding, or bruxism, as it’s commonly referred to, is quite common but most people don’t even realize they’re clenching and grinding until it starts to cause pain and tightness in the jaw area. Dull headaches can also be a common symptom. Thankfully, a mouthguard can help. Read on to learn more about teeth grinding and the important reasons to wear a night guard.
What Causes Teeth Grinding
Teeth-grinding at night is a brain-generated dysfunction, which means that it is an uncontrolled body movement, similar to those who move their legs or arms when falling asleep. Though it’s an unconscious habit, increased stress and anxiety can cause it to develop and intensify. Certain medications and a family history of it can also be factors for its occurrence.
If you grind your teeth, here’s why it’s important to wear a night guard:
Eliminates Pressure and Pain
Night guards have come a long way since they first emerged on the market. Today, they are much more comfortable to wear while sleeping. And one of the main reasons to why it’s important to wear a guard is because it can safeguard your teeth from the constant pressure and grinding that’s placed on them. This pressure can cause chips in your teeth or damaged fillings and can lead to a series of other problems, like TMJ. Night guards can also buffer the stress that’s placed on your jawbones, jaw joints and surrounding facial muscles, protecting them all during the course of the night.
Prevent Headaches from Developing
If you’re waking up with a constant dull headache, your night guard can help to prevent this from occurring. The guard minimizes the pressure placed on your jaw, which is what causes those pressure headaches to develop.
Improve Quality of Sleep
Night guards position the jaw in a strategic way that helps relax the surrounding muscles. They’re also designed to be lightweight for maximum comfort to help improve sleep patterns and your quality of sleep each night. For couples, this can be a welcomed bonus for both since your partner won’t have to be constantly disturbed by the sounds of your grinding.
Save Money & Prevent Long-Term Damage
Ignoring the signs of bruxism can eventually cause more serious damage to your enamel and jaw joints over time. This can require extensive treatments to repair, which can be costly. Save yourself the time, hassle and money by simply wearing your guard each night.
Prevent Snoring
Though snoring isn’t a risk factor to be too concerned about, it is likely a major irritant for your partner. Thankfully, night guards can also help here since they’re designed to create space between the upper and lower jaw joints. This promotes more airflow, helps you breathe easier and gives your partner a sound night’s sleep that’s snore-free.
Concerned that you might be grinding your teeth at night? Wondering if a night guard could help you? Get in touch with us at Yazdani Family Dentistry. We’ll set up an appointment, determine any areas of concern and what the best course of action may be for your oral health.
