Do you need a mouth guard for teeth grinding?

Do you grind your teeth at night? Do you wake up with pain, headaches, or jaw aches? These symptoms are often signs of clenching teeth or teeth grinding (also called bruxism). Teeth grinding can lead to serious dental problems if untreated.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it may be time to discuss getting a mouth guard for teeth grinding. If you choose to get fitted for one, it’s essential to understand why they’re important and how they work before making an appointment with your dentist.

Why do you need a mouthguard?

It’s normal to clench or grind the teeth a little bit as you sleep. But if you clench or grind them frequently, it could be a sign that you have bruxism. Excessive grinding and clenching can put a lot of force on your teeth, leading to chipping, fractures, and even tooth loss.

In addition to preventing tooth damage caused by abnormal pressure from grinding and clenching, mouth guards help protect us from serious health issues like sleeping disorders and poor overall health.

A mouthguard can provide relief from the signs and symptoms of teeth grinding. It is generally not a permanent fix, but it can help reduce your pain by reducing pressure on your jaw joints as you sleep.

How do they work?

Mouthguards are designed to protect the teeth from damage caused by abnormal or excessive contact between upper and lower teeth. Mouthguards also help spread the impact of clenching or grinding over a wider surface, which helps to prevent severe wear on specific areas of the teeth, like the enamel at the front of your tooth.

How do you know if it’s working?

If you are getting relief from wearing your mouthguard, it is working! It may take some time for your jaw muscles to adjust to not putting all that extra force on them during sleep.

If you are still experiencing pain after several weeks of treatment with a mouthguard, other factors could play, and more treatment options should be explored.

What happens if I don’t get a mouthguard?

Wearing a mouthguard for teeth grinding can prevent serious dental problems from developing. Without one, you risk damaging your teeth beyond repair- leaving you with no choice but to get dentures.

That’s why it’s so important to talk to your dentist if you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms associated with bruxism or teeth grinding.

Don’t wait another minute! Talk to us today about getting fitted for a mouth guard that will protect your teeth at night!

Signs of bruxism

If you suspect that you might suffer from bruxism, there are a few key signs to look out for:

• A dry mouth – Saliva is essential for rinsing away food particles after eating and keeping our mouths healthy. If you wake up with a dry mouth, you could be grinding your teeth at night.
• Headaches – If you experience headaches more than once or twice a week, it could be caused by tension in the jaw muscles that results from clenching and grinding at night.
• Jaw ache or pain – This can occur on one or both sides of your face, spread across the jaw joints (temporomandibular joint/TMJ). A significant amount of force can be placed on these structures during bruxism. Aches on either side of the head may also indicate issues with teeth alignment (malocclusion), which an orthodontist should check out.
• Sore facial muscles – Another sign that grinding your teeth at night is causing you pain. You may wake up to a sore face or feel tightness across the cheeks, lips, tongue, and throat.
• Increased tooth wear – If you grind your teeth for any period, it can lead to painful dental problems like chipped or fractured teeth or even worn teeth surfaces.
• A sinking feeling when biting down – If your jaw muscles work harder than they need to complete regular day-to-day tasks, this can lead to a ‘sinking’ feeling around the lower third of the face when chewing.

Until you can get fitted, it’s essential to take steps to prevent damage from teeth grinding. Ask your dentist if you should hold off on sleeping in appliances like night guards or getting braces until the cause of the bruxism has been identified and corrected.

Mouthguards will protect your pearly whites and keep your bite aligned at night while you sleep. However, mouthguards can’t be used in place of dental treatments that address underlying causes of bruxism, such as tooth misalignment (malocclusion) and underlying health conditions. If these issues aren’t addressed, bruxism can return.

If you’ve noticed you have signs of clenching teeth or the symptoms of bruxism and are located in Southeast Michigan, contact your nearest Fortson Dentistry location today to set up an appointment.