Is Teeth Grinding Damaging Your Smile? 3 Signs You Need a Night Guard

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is a common issue that affects up to 31% of people in North America. It can happen when you’re awake or asleep, which makes it challenging to detect, especially if you aren’t aware of the symptoms.

Even so, early diagnosis and treatment are important. Without the proper preventive actions, teeth grinding can increase your risk of chipped teeth, cracks, or other damage that may require emergency treatment.

At Family Dental Group, with offices in Gardner, Northborough, and Paxton, Massachusetts, Nikhil Lavana, DMD, Archana Kharkanis-Lavana, DMD, and our team specialize in treating teeth grinding.

Keep reading to discover three common signs of teeth grinding, so you can get the help you need and protect your smile. 

What is a night guard?

A night guard is an oral appliance that you wear during sleep. It looks similar to a sports mouth guard, but instead of protecting your teeth from high-impact collisions or flying balls, it defends against teeth grinding.

Night guards can be worn on your upper or lower teeth, but upper arch protection is more common. Once in place, the night guard protects your tooth enamel and gums from excess pressure and damage.

3 signs that indicate you may benefit from a night guard

Since many people grind their teeth when sleeping, it can be challenging to know if you’re at risk. The good news is that three telltale signs can help clue you in. These signs include:

1. Waking up with jaw pain or headaches

Grinding your teeth places pressure on your jaw joints and the surrounding muscles. Over time, this tension builds up, causing inflammation that often results in morning headaches, jaw soreness, facial pain, or ear pain.

At first, you might notice these symptoms only occasionally. But as teeth grinding becomes more common, symptoms often worsen, which can affect biting, chewing, and your quality of life.

Wearing a night guard can help keep your jaw aligned and ease some of the pressure, making your mornings more comfortable and pain-free.

2. Teeth that are worn, chipped, or sensitive

Teeth grinding often becomes a habit because it offers an unconscious way to handle stress or anxiety. However, grinding your teeth night after night can wear down and ultimately weaken your tooth enamel. 

Tooth enamel doesn’t grow back once it’s damaged, so it’s important to look for subtle signs of wear. These include:

• Flattened teeth
• Visible tooth wear
• Small chips
• Small cracks
• Increased tooth sensitivity

If any of these symptoms arise, it’s important to determine the underlying cause. Wearing a night guard is one of the best, most effective ways to prevent further enamel damage. The guard is molded to fit the exact shape of your mouth, providing a protective barrier.

3. Regular sleep disruptions

Teeth grinding often happens subconsciously, but it rarely lets you sleep through the night. If you find yourself regularly waking up or tossing and turning, bruxism could be to blame. This is especially true if you often feel stressed or anxious, as both emotions can cause muscle tension and jaw clenching.

While specific numbers are hard to come by, one study by the American Dental Association found that 70% of dentists reported seeing an increase in patients who grind or clench their teeth. A night guard won’t necessarily address the underlying cause of your anxiety or stress, but it can protect your teeth and make it easier to sleep through the night.

Want to see if a night guard is right for you?

If you frequently wake up with a headache or your partner complains that you’re making grinding noises in your sleep, it’s important to undergo an oral exam to check for potential enamel damage.

After completing an exam and taking oral X-rays, we can determine whether a night guard is right for your situation.

To get started, call our nearest office or book online to schedule a new patient visit today.