Are You Grinding Your Teeth At Night?

A FEW WEEKS AGO, we addressed the challenge of snoring, and discussed how appliance therapy from Dental Partners of Boston can help. This week, we’d like to tackle another issue that’s interrupting the sleep of millions of Americans every night.

Night Bruxism

Do you ever clench or grind your teeth when you’re feeling frustrated? This is called bruxing, and it’s not a big deal… unless you do it hour after hour, night after night. Many people tend to clench or grind their teeth while sleeping, so much so that it creates major problems down the road for their oral health.

How It Hurts

1. It puts unnecessary strain on jaw muscles, which can cause constant headaches.

2. It wears down tooth enamel.

3. Existing dental work like crowns and fillings can chip and crack under the pressure.

A Night Guard Can Help

Very basic night guards help by providing a shield for your teeth. However, a well-fitted night guard designed by our team can do more: it can relax your jaw muscles by easing your bite into a more comfortable position while you sleep. In some cases, a good night guard can stop bruxing behavior altogether.

Let Us Know If You See The Signs

Often, our team can spot the later signs of night bruxism—small cracks in the enamel, or a worn look on the surface. However, can catch it early yourself if you notice that you wake up with headaches or a sore jaw. Often, the first one to notice night bruxing is the bruxer’s partner, who hears the grinding at night.

If bruxism has been interrupting your sleep, let us know. We can take a closer look and see if a night guard can help.

Thanks for your trust in our practice!

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