How to Stop Bruxism at Night

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bruxism

Are you facing headaches, jaw pain, or a sore jaw when you wake up in the morning? If so, then you might be facing symptoms of bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding). Bruxism, if left untreated, can greatly affect your jaws and dental health.

Moreover, while clenching teeth is often considered natural, constant teeth grinding can be dangerous and can greatly impact your work routine as well. Sometimes, you don’t even realize that you are teeth grinding since you are sleeping. In this blog, we will explore various ways to stop teeth grinding at night.

Stopping Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

You can try out various remedies and techniques to reduce teeth grinding (bruxism). Some of these remedies include:

Obtain a Night Guard

night guard
A woman holding a night guard.

Constant teeth grinding can damage the enamel of your teeth and provide more chances of cavities. Consequently, sleeping with a tailored night guard can provide ideal protection. You can obtain your custom night guard from a dentist or at home from suppliers like SmilePath for ideal teeth protection at night.

A custom-made night guard will provide you with effective safety from teeth grinding all night long. It will also provide a better snug fit and comfort due to the presence of better materials (BPA-free) compared to generic varieties. Wearing a custom night guard while sleeping is a great way to reduce bruxism while sleeping.

Order your custom night guard right now from SmilePath and enjoy a peaceful nighttime!

Exercise Frequently

You should start to add some regular cardio or sprint sessions to your work routine. Bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding) is often associated with anxiety or stress, which results in teeth grinding. Regular workouts or sweat sessions can give you needed relief from your stress.

Relax Before Sleeping

You need to relax your jaw and unwind a little before you go to sleep. Try some relaxing techniques to lower the stress in your jaws. Some methods can include:

  • Take a relaxing warm bath before going to bed to relax the jaws.
  • Apply a wet or warm heating pad to your jaw.
  • Drink caffeine-free herbal tea to warm your jaws.

Messaging Techniques for Jaws

If you feel like your jaw is tightening during your day when you go through a stress-inducing situation, then all you need to do is simply relax by giving yourself a jaw massage. Slowly rubbing and massaging will lower the jaw tension that has been developing throughout the day.

Be More Mindful About Teeth Grinding

You might be grinding your teeth and not even realize it. Being more aware of your teeth clenching and grinding can help you lower your anxiety. You might notice certain situations throughout the day when your bruxism may get more elevated.

This can be put to a stop by opening your jaw and pausing for a moment. Then, move your jaw gently and try maintaining a relaxed posture.

Chewing and Moderation

While chewing gum or any other edible can strengthen your jaw muscles, it can also lead to them being more stressed. To ensure this does not happen, give your jaws a break to ensure they can stay relaxed. To do so, reduce the consumption of edibles that require more chewing. As these can worsen your teeth grinding. Try to eat softer diet foods that require less chewing, like yogurt, salmon, baked potatoes, or scrambled eggs.

Order your hybrid night guard right now and enjoy ultimate dental protection and comfort.

Side Effects of Teeth Grinding

bruxism
A teenage boy suffering from bruxism

Ignoring your teeth-grinding habit can lead to other ailments that might become noticeable in some months or years over time. Some of the potential bruxism side effects that you might experience include:

Damaged Teeth

Teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) can often flatten, chip, or fracture your sensitive teeth. It can even affect your precious smile and even the shape of your teeth. In certain situations, you can even lose your teeth.

Weak Tooth Enamel

tooth enamel
Man showing teeth with weak tooth enamel

Bruxism can also weaken your teeth enamel; it is important for maintaining your ideal dental health and weakening it can lead to various dental issues such as cavities or gum infections.

More Teeth Pain or Sensitivity

As teeth enamel gets torn away or weakened, you become more vulnerable to sensitivity and pain. Cold food items might become unbearable for your teeth, and you might experience chronic pains in the affected teeth areas.

Tired Jaws

As you grind and clench your jaw more than usual, the extra work will make your jaw muscles more tired. This can lead you to feel more fatigued and unable to chew since your jaws have exhausted a chunk of their muscle energy in teeth grinding.

Headaches

headache
Man experiencing a headache

Constant pressure from teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) can often lead you to experience headaches. These often start from your temple region and spread to other areas around your head.

Pain and Discomfort

Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism) can often result in pain or discomfort in various parts of your body, including your face or neck region. You might also experience certain earaches near your jaw areas, which may be an indication of bruxism taxing your system.

Damaged Cheeks

Regular teeth clenching and grinding can also impact your cheeks. You might feel your cheek tissues getting damaged, which can result in bleeding or more chronic pain.

Unrestful Sleep Sessions

In certain cases, teeth grinding and clenching patterns can affect your sleep quality or make your sleep experiences more unrestful. This can lead you to feel extra tired when you wake up.

Conclusion

Bruxism (teeth grinding) can greatly affect your dental health as it weakens your tooth enamel and affects your quality of sleep. You can put an end to your sleepless nights by investing in a high-quality night guard from SmilePath to safeguard your radiant smile.

To find out more about how night guard helps with bruxism call us at 1300 404 171.

FAQs

What is bruxism?

Bruxism stands for the constant involuntary teeth grinding and clenching that you carry out throughout the day.

Can we reduce or permanently remove bruxism?

Yes, you can greatly reduce your teeth grinding and clenching by changing your diet or carrying out stress-reducing exercises. Using tailor-made night guards can also reduce the damage done by bruxism.

Can bruxism cause headaches?

Yes, teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) is often associated with headaches as leaving it untreated can result in damage and can also result in TMJ issues associated with jaws.

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