A good night’s sleep helps your body recover and recharge. However, if you grind or clench your teeth during the night, your smile could be suffering. This common problem, known as bruxism, often goes unnoticed but can have lasting effects on your teeth and jaw. Fortunately, there’s an easy and effective way to protect your smile while you sleep: a custom nightguard.
Do you wake up with headaches or jaw pain? What about neck and shoulder pain? Do you have sore teeth, or do they feel loose in the morning? These are common symptoms of bruxism, which is the clinical term for excessive teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Bruxism mostly happens during sleep, and the aftereffects can cause undue wear on your teeth and alter your bite. Continue reading to learn more.
At Brown & Gettings, DDS, we often speak about your oral and your overall health. We are committed to assisting our patients in restoring and maintaining their oral health over the course of their lives. Unfortunately, there are certain habits that can negatively affect their teeth and lead to serious complications with their oral health. We want to take a few moments to share what habits may be affecting your oral health so you can make the necessary changes as soon as possible:
Do you have tenderness or pain in your jaw muscles? Are your teeth worn down, fractured or chipped? If so, you may have bruxism, a condition in which a person grinds their teeth involuntarily while not chewing. The teeth grind or rub together as the jaw moves forcefully either from side to side or back and forth. Often, the person is not aware that they are doing it. While it can happen during the day, bruxism typically takes place while you are asleep. Sleep bruxism is generally more severe due to the force applied during episodes, which can cause serious problems for the teeth and jaw.
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