Mouthguards Protect You From Teeth Grinding and Jaw Clenching

 

Dentists in Calgary see many patients who experience sleep bruxism — a condition where you clench your teeth and jaw, and grind your teeth as you sleep. Custom-fitted mouthguards in Calgary may solve your sleep bruxism and save you from painful and harmful symptoms.

What is sleep bruxism?

Are you one of the many people — up to eight per cent of adults — who clenches their jaw and grinds their teeth as you sleep? Dentists diagnose patients with sleep bruxism based on a collection of symptoms that they see: sensitive teeth, painful, and loose teeth;  chipped and cracked teeth; work tooth enamel; and damaged dental work. Sleep bruxism is caused by a wide range of factors that are not well-understood, but that include stress and obstructive sleep apnea.

 There are non-dental symptoms of sleep bruxism as well, including: pain in your jaw, face, and neck; headaches located near your temples that feel like ear aches; tiredness; difficulting opening and closing your jaw fully; and indications you might have chewed the inside of your cheek.

What are the dental problems associated with jaw clenching and teeth grinding?

As strong as enamel is, it is meant to withstand the forces of chewing rather than clenching. Clenching and grinding teeth as you sleep can cause cracks in perfectly healthy teeth, and even more so if the teeth are already weakened by cavities or fillings. Cracks in teeth increase the risk of cavities and tooth decay because they allow bacteria to penetrate the enamel.

 Grinding gradually wears away the enamel on the chewing surfaces of your teeth, leaving you with flattened and shorter teeth. As your enamel is worn away, the underlying dentin is exposed. Loss of enamel is unhealthy and unattractive.

 Clenching and grinding your teeth as you sleep transmits unusual forces into the gums that can cause them to recede for your teeth. As gums recede, they leave the root of your teeth exposed and increase the risk of cavities and sensitivity to heat and cold. Prolonged or significant gum recession can require gum grafting surgery.

Clenching and grinding also causes headaches and facial pain

You may clench and grind your teeth without knowing it except through the symptoms in your teeth. Other symptoms of sleep bruxism can include headaches and facial pain. If you’re experiencing headaches or facial pain in the morning without any apparent explanation, tell your dentist.

Mouthguards in Calgary can help solve the symptoms

A custom designed and fit mouthguard creates a physical barrier between your teeth. Even if you continue to clench your jaw, the surfaces of your teeth will not come into contact. The mouthguard will act to preserve the enamel, prevent cracks, and absorb some of the forces that can cause the gums to recede and contribute to headaches and facial muscle pain.

 If your sleep bruxism is caused by obstructive sleep apnea, which is often the case, a custom mouthguard can also hold your lower jaw in the correct position to make sure that your airway doesn’t close and prevent you from breathing while you sleep.

 If you have any of these symptoms of sleep bruxism, discuss them with your dentist. Your dentist will see the dental impacts of clenching and grinding at your regular appointments, but can help you solve the problems earlier if you explain what you’re experiencing even between appointments. If you’re also experiencing disturbed sleep, headaches, and facial pain, tell that to your dentist, too. A solution may be as simple and fast as a custom-made mouthguard from a dentist near you.