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Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is a condition in which a person clenches or grinds his or her teeth - mostly subconsciously. Grinding the teeth can wear down the enamel of the teeth or cause TMJ disorders. While some people do this occasionally without reason, others grind their teeth at night without even realizing it. 

Chronic teeth grinding can eventually wear down your enamel and weaken your teeth. This can lead to fractures in your teeth that may require restorative treatment to repair.

How to Know if You Grind Your Teeth?

To figure out if you may be grinding your teeth, pay attention to how your mouth feels after a night of sleep. If you notice sore jaws or a dull headache in the morning, you may be suffering from nighttime bruxism. If you wake up with sensitive teeth and notice jagged edges on your teeth, you may also have this habit. If your teeth are feeling particularly worn when you wake up in the morning, you may benefit from a custom mouthguard provided by our dentist for teeth grinding.

Causes of Teeth Grinding

Most people grind their teeth at night while they are sleeping because they are stressed out or anxious. This behavior is also common for people suffering from sleep disorders like sleep apnea, where they repeatedly wake up throughout the night and have trouble falling back asleep. These constant interruptions to their sleep cycle often cause people to be under a lot of stress and feel very anxious about their overall health.

Sometimes people who grind their teeth during the day are simply trying to focus their attention on a specific task, such as driving or writing, so they’re not able to stop themselves from doing it. People who are dehydrated are also more likely to have problems with teeth grinding due to the stress of dehydration on the mind and body. 

Treatments for Teeth Grinding

If you grind your teeth at night, our dentist may recommend wearing a night guard to protect your teeth from the effects of grinding and clenching. Our dentist will take impressions of your teeth to send to a lab to create a custom-made night guard for you to wear when you sleep. 

Night guards are also available for purchase over the counter at drugstores or online. However, these are less efficient because their fit is not customized for your jaw. A regular mouthguard from your sports team or retailer won’t prevent nighttime teeth grinding.

Wearing a night guard will reduce the damage that teeth grinding can do to your teeth, including cracks and chips. It can also help you avoid jaw pain caused by an abnormal bite due to bruxism. 

The mouthguard protects your smile from damage while you sleep by blocking harmful contact between your teeth. It also places a light amount of pressure on your jaw to prevent you from grinding your teeth at night. This can prevent further damage to your teeth and save you from the pain and sensitivity that can come with chronic teeth grinding.

For more information, contact our Alexandria dental office at (703) 823-2848 or 5130 Duke St, Suite 8, Alexandria, VA 22304, or our Manassas dental office at (703) 479-7654 or 8608 Centreville Rd, Manassas, VA 20110.