Learn how to identify the main signs of teeth grinding.
Is your stress affecting your overall sleep habits? Do you wake up in the morning feeling tired? If you do, you might want to check with your dental health professional to see if you unconsciously grind your teeth at night.
While your sleep habits aren’t the only way to tell if you’re grinding your teeth, it’s a pretty good indication that you might be. Check out the information below to see if this applies to you.
What is teeth grinding?
Teeth grinding, also referred to as Bruxism, is when you consciously or unconsciously clench and grind your teeth against one another. After a while, it can wear down your teeth, causing other oral health problems to develop.
It’s very common and easily treatable. The hardest part is finding out whether you grind your teeth in the first place.
Here are some helpful tips to answer that question for you.
You may suffer from grinding your teeth if you have:
– Worn down teeth
– Sensitive teeth
– A sore jaw
– Frequent headaches
– Woken up because you’ve clenched your teeth too hard
How can I treat teeth grinding?
First, you have to find out if you actually have it—because people usually grind their teeth unconsciously, it’s difficult to tell if you grind your teeth unless you consult a dental health professional.
Once you know for sure, try to dig deep to find the root cause of your teeth grinding. If your teeth grinding is related to stress, attend a counseling session to help gain control over your stress.
Here are some more tips on how you can prevent further grinding of your teeth:
– Avoid alcohol
– Avoid foods with caffeine in them, especially before you go to sleep
– Try some relaxing breathing exercises to calm yourself down before you sleep
– If grinding your teeth has become a regular issue—your hygienist at a 123Dentist.com dental clinic may suggest putting a mouth guard on your teeth to reduce any further damage
If you’ve experienced any of these signs, let your hygienist at 123Dentist.com know. They can give you some tips more personal to you, so you can keep on smiling.
