Many patients come to our Encinitas, CA dental office saying, “I grind me teeth! Can you help?”
Clenching and grinding your teeth while you sleep can have a seriously negative impact on your quality of life and comfort! If you wake up with sore teeth, headaches, a sore jaw, swelling, or feeling fatigue in your jaw and facial muscles, you probably grind your teeth at night.
A couple other ways to tell if you have been clenching and grinding is to look along the inside of your cheek. Do you see a line? Those are bite marks and can indicate a teeth grinding habit. When patients grind their teeth over many years, they often develop bony growths under their tongue, called tori. These bones can make it uncomfortable to have x-rays and may annoy your tongue throughout the day.
If you grind your teeth, you may be causing permanent damage! Wear and cracks are common problems with teeth grinders. This damage can require restorations to protect your teeth from breaking. Dental crowns are one of the best ways to add stability to your teeth.
Here are some other things you can do to protect your teeth:
Don’t drink alcohol – Alcohol makes teeth grinding worse.
Reduce caffeine – Caffeine can cause anxiety, which is known to make a grinding habit worse, especially when consumed near bedtime.
Ask your doctor about side effects – Are you on prescription medication? Some of them can exacerbate an existing bruxism habit.
Don’t think you can treat it alone – Even if you completely change your lifestyle, your teeth grinding habit will not likely disappear. Ask your dentist for help!
Protective Nightguards
A nightguard is a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth. It can prevent you from breaking your teeth and causing damage while you sleep.
The nightguards we create at our Encinitas, CA dental office perform an additional function; they help your jaw relax. A properly designed nightguard will gently guide your jaw into a relaxed position where those tight muscles and joints can finally find relief.
Are you looking for a dentist in Encinitas? Contact Scott M. Jordan, DDS today!