6 Signs You May Have a Teeth Grinding Habit
Teeth grinding or clenching may seem completely harmless at first. You probably feel some soreness in your jaw when you wake up but forget about it as you go on about your daily routine. Over time, it ruins your oral health. The worst part is that most people don’t even know they have this habit until it’s already done a lot of damage. Let’s have a look at some of the signs that suggest you have a teeth grinding habit (bruxism).
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1) Your Teeth Are Wearing Down
Teeth naturally wear down as you age. You may notice that the top of your enamel looks more flattened than before. But if you often grind your teeth, this change might happen sooner than you’d expect.
Short square teeth with flat edges are a hallmark sign of bruxism. Those who’ve had this habit for years may even start to see some yellow spots, meaning the enamel has worn down enough that the inner dentin layer is becoming visible.
2) You Often Wake Up With a Headache
A restful sleep is meant to relax all your muscles. So when you wake up and feel a terrible headache and pain along your temples, it indicates that your facial muscles were under some serious pressure while you were sleeping.
Although morning headaches can have other possible causes, teeth grinding is among the top ones.
3) Your Cheeks and Jaw Feel Sore
Does your jaw feel sore almost every morning after you wake up? Teeth grinding and clenching place a lot of strain on your jaw and facial muscles. This is like working out your arm or leg muscles daily, but exerting them much more than they can bear.
You have trouble chewing your breakfast properly because of the pain in your jaw.
4) Your Sleeping Partner Notices Grinding Noises
This one is perhaps the most obvious sign. Many people don’t know that they’ve been subconsciously grinding their teeth until their spouse, family member, or roommate tells them about the grinding noises they often make during sleep.
5) Unexplained Damage to Your Teeth and Restorations
Has your dental crown become loose even though you’ve been taking proper care of it? Do your teeth look damaged and worn out? Have you seen a crack in a filling or your tooth, perhaps more than once, in the last few years? Such things are likely to happen if you grind your teeth.
Your dentist may recommend wearing a night guard to protect your teeth and dental work.
6) Your Teeth Feel More Sensitive
You may feel increased sensitivity in one of your teeth when there’s a cavity or an injury to the tooth. But if you have a stinging sensation in almost all of your teeth when you consume something too hot or cold, it could be a consequence of teeth grinding.
This occurs as your tooth enamel wears out after repeated grinding pressure.
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Summing Up
Bruxism does a lot of damage to your oral health the longer it remains undiagnosed. If you notice any of these teeth grinding signs, talk to our dental experts at ACE Dental of Taylor right away. We’ll discuss the best ways to treat and manage this problem. Call us today!
Medically Reviewed
Aditi Gupta, D.D.S.
Dr. Aditi Gupta is a renowned family dentist, specializing in general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry at ACE Dental with 9 locations across central Texas. She has been an esteemed practitioner for over 12 years and earned her board certification from the American Board of General Dentistry as well as memberships in both the American Dental Association and Texas Dental Association.