exercise and health

Do You Grind Your Teeth At Night?

If you wake up every morning and have a sore jaw or a headache, it might be a sign that you have been grinding your teeth. Some people grind their teeth while they sleep (called bruxism) and they dont even know they are doing it. This can cause quite a bit of damage to the teeth, especially over time.

One of the causes of bruxism is thought to be stress but there could be many other reasons as well. Whether it is stress or something else, it is extremely difficult to break a habit that you dont even know you are doing. So many people suffer from a mild case of bruxism that it is never looked into unless their dentist notices.

Most dentists will recommend a teeth guard but that will not solve the problem and only protect the teeth. The dilemma you face is whether you want to spend money on something that you may have to wear the rest of your life or whether you want to attack the problem and find a way to stop it. If you really want to fix the situation, it is best to discover why you are grinding your teeth and this will help you better figure out a remedy.

So how does one stop their teeth grinding when they are asleep? While there is no sure fire cure that will work for everyone, it is believed grinding your teeth has something to do with stress. Although reducing your stress is thought to be one cure, it does not work for all people. There are many teeth grinders that seemingly have little stress and so a solution must be found elsewhere.

If you can find the reason for your stress and eliminate it, you might be able to curb your teeth grinding. If you cant, you are left with getting a mouth guard to wear at night. This will not solve the problem but just help stop the damage your grinding might have on your teeth. Your dentist should be able to fit you with a custom nighttime mouth guard made especially for your teeth. Another course of action is to read some books written on the subject that you will be able to find at the library.