You may wake up with a headache or a sore jaw, and your teeth may feel strangely sensitive to your morning coffee. You may write it off to stress or a bad night’s sleep, but these small complaints are telling you that something is going on in your sleep.
You may not even be aware that you are grinding your teeth (bruxism) because it occurs while you are sleeping. The signs that you are grinding your teeth may not be immediately apparent, but they could be affecting your lifestyle in a variety of ways.
If you are not careful about these signs, they could have a major impact on your appearance and health. Here is how to identify the hidden signs that you are grinding your teeth in your sleep.
Disclosure: Contributed post.
Signs of Teeth Grinding at Night
1. Jaw Pain or Facial Tension
Discomfort in the jaws is one of the main symptoms associated with grinding during the night. Difficulty in yawning and a general soreness along the jawlines may be a symptom of the fact that the muscles are working overtime during the night.
Grinding causes a lot of strain on the temporomandibular joints. This is where the jaws meet the skull. This overtime work may cause a general soreness along the cheeks and the temples. It’s usually heavier in the mornings.
Tight jaws may cause headaches, neck pain, poor posture, and you will look like you’re always under a lot of strain.
2. Morning Headaches That Make No Sense
Teeth grinding may be the reason for your headache that always seems to start in the morning but fades during the day.
Your constant jaw clenching may be straining your temples and scalp, leading to a headache. This differs from migraines in that it feels like constant pressure on both sides of your head.
Of course, your headaches may have resulted from sleeping in an awkward position and/or being extremely stressed. However, these may not be the sole reasons for your headache.
3. Tooth Sensitivity or Worn Enamel
Slowly, the protective outer layer of your teeth, also known as enamel, starts to erode. As your enamel erodes, your teeth may look flat and chipped at the edges.
As time passes by, your teeth may feel sensitive to either hot or cold drinks. Additionally, you may notice small cracks forming on the surface of your teeth. You may also feel rough spots on your tongue.
4. Restless Nights
Bruxism can cause you to lose sleep throughout the night. You may not fully wake up, but you will not feel well rested.
Signs of this include feeling tired, difficulty concentrating during the day, or waking up frequently without knowing why, and napping during the day. Some partners also say that they hear a grinding sound at night, which can be the first clue that something is wrong.
Luckily, having protective measures in place can make a difference. Many people turn to custom-fitted night guards to create a barrier between their teeth and reduce pressure on the jaw. Brands such as GetCheeky offer affordable options online.
5. Indentations on the Tongue or Inside of the Cheeks
If you see scalloped edges on your tongue or small ridges on the inside of your cheeks, it may indicate that your teeth are pressing into these areas.
These marks may be painless, and this is why people do not usually associate them with grinding. However, they are an indicator of constant pressure and tension in the muscles caused by grinding.
To check for this, you can look in the mirror and try to stick your tongue out. If your tongue edges look wavy rather than smooth, you should contact your dentist.
6. Changes in Your Jawline or Bite
Long-term grinding can alter the alignment of the teeth when the mouth closes. You may notice that the bite has changed, or that some teeth meet before others. In some cases, the jawline appears more defined as the muscles in the jaw become enlarged from grinding.
It’s best to seek a dental professional if you notice any of the above. In most cases, the use of a night guard from GetCheeky can stop the progression.
Stress and Lifestyle
When you have tension during the day, your body may still process that tension during the night. The pressure to be productive and earn money could also come in the form of grinding during the night.
But this does not mean that grinding is purely psychological. Rather, it is a reflection of how connected oral health is to overall wellness.
Simple steps to take to treat teeth grinding include:
- Winding down before bed
- Avoiding caffeine before bed
- Medication to treat stress
- Avoiding too much screen time before bed
- Getting a good bed and curtains to improve sleep
As stated above, these lifestyle changes should be coupled with physical remedies for teeth grinding.
When to Seek Professional Advice
If you find that you have some of these signs, it is a good idea to make an appointment with a dentist. The dentist will look for signs of wear and tear and see if grinding is the cause of the problem.
Additionally, you should be able to stop bruxism from causing further damage to your teeth and body if you take these steps: wear night guards, reduce stress, and sleep better.
Conclusions
Teeth grinding tends to mask itself as a simple pain, such as a sore jaw, a morning headache, a change in the way your teeth bite together, or mysterious sensitivity. The fact that it happens while you’re sleeping means you may not catch on until months or even years have passed.
Yet, you should be more aware of the signs presented in this blog if you want to maintain good oral health. This will, in return, help you have a good night’s sleep.
You can achieve this through practicing stress management, using a night guard while you sleep, attending dental appointments, cutting down on screen time, and consuming less coffee in the evenings.
Your smile is an integral part of who you are in the world, and taking care of it while you’re sleeping is one of the simplest ways to look after your long-term health and confidence.
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