Signs you may be grinding your teeth
The medical name is bruxism. Clenching means pressing the teeth together hard, and grinding means sliding them against each other. Daytime bruxism is mostly clenching. Grinding tends to happen in your sleep, so the signs tell you more than your memory will:
- A sore, tired or tight jaw when you wake up.
- Headaches around the temples, especially first thing in the morning.
- Teeth that look flatter, shorter or chipped at the edges.
- Teeth that have turned sensitive to cold, because worn enamel exposes the layer underneath.
- A partner who hears grinding at night.
- Catching your teeth pressed together while you drive, work or concentrate.
Why do people grind their teeth?
Usually more than one thing plays a part:
- Stress and concentration. Many people clench when they are anxious, busy or focused, often without noticing.
- Sleep. Much grinding happens during sleep, sometimes along with snoring or sleep apnea.
- Caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, which are linked with more grinding at night.
- Some medications, including some taken for depression or anxiety. If you think one is involved, talk to your physician before changing anything.
- The way your teeth meet, which can play a part.
What grinding does to your teeth and jaw
Night after night, grinding puts the teeth under more force than they were built for. The damage builds slowly, so caught early, it is mostly a matter of protecting what is there:
- Enamel wears away, the edges flatten, and the teeth can look shorter. Worn enamel does not grow back.
- Teeth chip and crack. Grinding is a common cause of a cracked tooth, and fillings and crowns take the same punishment.
- The chewing muscles tire and ache, and the jaw joints are loaded hard, which can bring on jaw pain, clicking and headaches.
What you can do at home
You cannot control what your jaw does while you sleep, but a few things help:
- During the day, notice clenching and let go: lips together, teeth slightly apart.
- Cut back on caffeine later in the day, and on alcohol in the evening.
- Wind down before bed. Anything that lowers your stress may ease the clenching that goes with it.
- Skip chewing gum, and do not chew pens, ice or your nails.
- On a sore day, eat softer food and put heat or ice on the jaw, whichever feels better.
What does a dentist look for?
Grinding often shows up at a routine check-up before anyone has mentioned it. At the office in Pearisburg, we look at the edges and chewing surfaces of the teeth for flattening, chips and cracks, check fillings and crowns for wear, and look for marks on the cheeks and tongue where they have been pressed against the teeth.
We also check the jaw joints and muscles and how your teeth meet, and ask whether anyone has heard you grinding, whether you snore, and whether you wake with headaches. Then we show you the wear on the screen.
How grinding is managed
There is no switch that turns grinding off, so the aim is to protect your teeth and ease the strain on your jaw.
When the teeth are wearing or the jaw is sore, a custom night guard can help. It is a thin, hard guard made to fit your teeth and worn while you sleep, so the teeth press against the guard instead of each other. We recommend one only when it is likely to help, adjust it so your bite meets it evenly, and check it at later visits.
A guard is not a cure and does not stop the habit, so it works alongside the steps above. It is also a different device from the one used for sleep apnea. TMJ treatment covers the jaw side.
Teeth that grinding has already worn or cracked can be repaired once the grinding is under control, sometimes with a crown. If it needs more than a general dentist should do, we will refer you to a specialist or back to your physician, and explain why.
Grinding, snoring and sleep apnea
Grinding at night sometimes goes along with sleep apnea, where breathing stops and starts during sleep. If you snore loudly, a partner notices pauses in your breathing, or you wake up tired after a full night in bed, mention it to your physician. A physician diagnoses sleep apnea after a sleep study, and our page on sleep apnea explains how a dentist can help once a physician recommends an oral appliance.
Questions patients ask
How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?
Usually from the signs rather than from noticing it: a sore jaw or a headache on waking, worn or chipped teeth, or a partner who hears it. A dentist can often see the wear before you notice anything.
Does a night guard cure grinding?
No. A custom guard protects your teeth and can ease the strain on your jaw, but it does not stop the grinding itself. That is why it works alongside relaxing your jaw during the day.
My child grinds their teeth at night. Should I worry?
It is common in young children and often stops by itself as they grow. Mention it at your child's check-up so we can look at the wear. If your child also snores loudly or seems tired during the day, mention that to their physician.
Is teeth grinding linked to sleep apnea?
Sometimes the two go together. If you grind and also snore loudly, stop breathing for moments in your sleep, or wake up tired, talk to your physician. A physician diagnoses sleep apnea after a sleep study.