When you wake up, do you often have a headache or a sore jaw? You might grind your teeth at night. This is known as bruxism. If you do not fix this mindless teeth-clenching or grinding, which usually happens while you sleep, it can do a lot of damage to your oral health.
Luckily, there is an easy fix: night guards. If you need a family dentist in Sterling. VA, to help you with bruxism or any other tooth problem, you might want to set up a visit.
Understand bruxism – the silent tooth destroyer
A big part of the population has bruxism. The exact cause is still unknown, but there are a number of things that can lead to it. Stress, anxiety, and even some medicines can make grinding your teeth more likely.
Bruxism can have a big effect on the health of your teeth. Grinding your teeth can cause a number of problems because of the steady pressure that is put on them:
- Wear and tear on the teeth: Grinding your teeth can wear away the enamel, the hard top layer of your teeth. This makes the teeth weaker and more sensitive to hot and cold.
- Teeth that are cracked or chipped: Using too much force can damage your teeth, possibly badly enough that they need a lot of dental work afterward.
- Headaches and jaw pain: Clenching and grinding your teeth can cause your jaw muscles to be tense all the time, which can cause a lot of pain and even headaches.
Night guards are your teeth’s nighttime armor
Night guards are custom-made mouthpieces that are meant to protect your teeth from the damage that bruxism can do. These devices put up a wall between your upper and lower teeth to keep them from touching directly when you grind your teeth.
This is how night guards work:
- Protection: Night guards protect your teeth from damage caused by grinding by putting a cushion between them. This helps maintain your natural tooth structure and stops your enamel from getting worse.
- Relaxing your jaw: Wearing a night guard can help rest your jaw muscles, which can lower the number and severity of times you bite and grind your teeth.
- Better sleep: The noise that comes from chewing your teeth can wake you up at night. This noise can be reduced with night guards, making sleep more restful and energizing.
The different types of night guards and how to choose the right fit
In general, there are two types of night guards:
- Custom-made night guards: Your dentist will use molds of your teeth to make these. This makes sure that they fit perfectly and are comfortable, so they protect your teeth even better.
- Over-the-counter night guards: These are guards that are already made and can be adjusted at home. Even though they are less expensive, they might not protect or relax you as well as custom-made guards.
The additional benefits of night guards
Using a night guard has perks other than just keeping your teeth safe:
- Less jaw pain and headaches: Night guards can help a lot with jaw pain and headaches caused by bruxism because they relax the muscles in the mouth.
- Improved overall health: Getting better sleep and feeling less pain can make you feel better and improve your overall health and happiness.
Take action now and protect your smile
Dentists are the best people to find out if someone has bruxism because they are trained to do so. They will look at your teeth, jaw, and face muscles. They may also ask you about jaw pain, headaches, or earaches.
There are different ways to treat bruxism, but night guards often work. If you do not treat bruxism, it can wear down your teeth, cause serious damage, and require a lot of dental work.
Taking care of bruxism not only saves your teeth but also makes your health and well-being better in general. Call for a meeting to talk about your worries and try to keep the long-term effects to a minimum.