Unfortunately, many people find themselves unconsciously grinding their teeth as they sleep. Known as ‘bruxism’, the act of teeth grinding can be potentially damaging for your oral health and other facial features.
But luckily, there are a few things you can do to prevent damage from teeth grinding as you sleep. Read on for a definition of bruxism (and what it can cause), key signs and symptoms of bruxism, and a few handy tips to prevent it from affecting your pearly whites.
WHAT CAUSES BRUXISM?
There are several factors that cause sleep bruxism. These include sleep disorders such as:
- Insomnia or sleep apnea
- Neurological disorders such as anxiety or depressive disorders
- Periods of increased stress
- Digestion issues
- Genetics or the consumption of food or beverage that can cause acid reflux or that contain high levels of caffeine
What are the signs and symptoms of bruxism?
As people with sleep bruxism won’t be aware of their condition while it’s happening, sleep bruxism symptoms are often spotted by people who regularly co-sleep with them – or in drastic cases, by the sleeper themselves when they wake up and notice visible tooth damage or impacts.
The most common symptoms and indicators of sleep bruxism are:
- Jaw pain
- Headaches that cause pangs around the temple
- Clicking of jaw joints
- Issues with chewing (including hypersensitivity, fatigue or tenderness)
- Tongue pain
- Earaches or dental symptoms such as tooth pain, enamel erosion or chipped teeth
In severe cases, teeth can even become loosened as a result of sleep bruxism.
HOW TO PREVENT BRUXISM
If you recognise any of the above symptoms and think you might have sleep bruxism, there are plenty of ways to seek help and address the issue.
For starters, assess any underlying health conditions you may have to see if there’s a correlation between them and your bruxism. Then, consider implementing a structured sleep routine to help improve your quality of sleep. This could include setting a regular sleep time, limiting screen time before bed, doing a few relaxing activities before lights out, and making your bedroom as cosy and inviting as possible.
Another fantastic way to help prevent sleep bruxism is to be fitted for a mouthguard that you can wear every night while sleeping. These devices will protect your teeth as you sleep, and can be customised to help reduce your specific sleep bruxism symptoms.
PROTECT YOUR TEETH WITH PITT STREET DENTAL
Here at Pitt Street Dental in Sydney, our highly trained team are proficient in creating custom mouthguards to ensure teeth and mouths are as protected as possible. If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of sleep bruxism, book an appointment for a new mouthguard moulding at Pitt Street Dental Centre today.
