Top 5 Reasons to Not Ignore Your Teeth Grinding

 

Maybe you’re just finding out for the first time that you grind your teeth. Or maybe your dentist has been bothering you about getting a night guard for years but you’ve been putting it off. Either way, you’re probably wondering whether you really need to do something about it, or if you can just keep on keepin’ on.

The subtle early signs of grinding and clenching your teeth (also known as bruxism) can easily go under your radar at first. It can take time before the damaging effects really start to show, but once they do, they can range from annoying to downright painful and expensive. 

Luckily, taking action early can make a huge impact on keeping those effects in check. 

Read on to find out the top 5 reasons why you shouldn’t wait to address your teeth grinding.   

1. Stop Teeth Damage In Its Tracks

One of the most obvious reasons to not let your teeth grinding go unchecked is to protect your teeth from damage, which can include chips, cracks, or a general wearing down of the surfaces of your teeth. 

Over time, grinding erodes your teeth’s enamel, which can lead to cold sensitivity and a higher potential for cavities. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to notice the early signs of enamel wear, and once your enamel is gone, it’s gone. That’s why it's so important to protect your teeth sooner rather than later.

Did You Know...that when you clench your teeth at night, you're applying up to 250 lbs of force on your back molars? That's like having a linebacker stand on your teeth! 

2. Avoid Pricey Dental Work

Along with teeth grinding damage comes dreaded dental work. Depending on the severity of your grinding, this can range from repairing a chipped tooth or cracked molar to needing crowns or veneers. Some people even need previous dental work redone because of their grinding.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. No one wants to spend their hard earned money on expensive, uncomfortable dental procedures, especially if it’s possible to prevent it. 

3. Keep Your Food Freedom

What you eat should be your choice, but if you’re a grinder, you may end up being at the mercy of your teeth.  

Foods that are hard or require significant chewing may become difficult or tiring to eat when teeth are worn down by grinding or you’re experiencing jaw pain. That means that some of your favorite foods might be off the table, figuratively and literally.  

If you protect your teeth early, they don’t have to be a cause for avoiding certain foods and you can keep on eating what you choose. 

4. Get Headache Relief

Anatomy lesson! There are four muscles that control your jaw movement, and one of the biggest (the temporalis) goes all the way up to your temples and stretches over a large section on either side of your head. Because of this, tension from your jaw muscles from grinding or clenching can cause major headaches. In fact, it’s one of the most common symptoms teeth grinders seek relief from. 

Many people who grind their teeth experience tension headaches or migraines that set in at different times of the day, sometimes as soon as the morning. 

Taking preventative measures can decrease these types of headaches drastically, and possibly even keep you from ever experiencing them. 

5. Catch Better ZzZzZs

Teeth grinding and good sleep usually go together about as well as pickles and ice cream. If you’ve been struggling to get a good night’s rest and aren’t sure why you can’t, your teeth grinding could be a culprit. 

A research study conducted in 2018 found that those who grind or clench their teeth at night spent significantly less time asleep throughout the night than those who didn’t. They also rated themselves as being significantly drowsier during the day.  

The importance of sleep is no secret, not only for our ability to function at our best throughout the day, but also for our overall health. Taking a step toward stopping your teeth grinding is also a step toward better, more restful sleep.

Okay I’m Convinced, What Can I Do Now?

One of the easiest and most effective ways to combat teeth grinding is with a night guard that you can wear while you sleep. The night guard acts as a protective barrier to absorb the grinding or clenching forces of your teeth.

There are many different types of night guards out there. On one end, you have night guards from the dentist that are custom made but typically expensive (we’re talking upwards of $400-700). 

On the other hand, there are cheap over-the-counter alternatives available from most drugstores. However, these “boil and bite” options are typically a poor fit and made with low quality materials that can actually sometimes worsen your grinding.

But these aren’t the only, or even the best, option. 

 

 

If you’re looking for a balance of quality, price, and convenience, you’re in the right place. We’re breaking the mold by creating custom night guards that you can get from the comfort of home. 

Simply take a mold of your teeth using our impression kit, send it in, and a week later a custom made night guard arrives on your doorstep. These are the same exact quality as the dentist, but at a fraction of the cost.

If you’d like to learn more about the types of custom night guards we offer and how to choose the one that’s best for your grinding needs, we can help. 

Conclusion

If you want to prevent teeth grinding damage, get better sleep, and kiss headaches from jaw tension goodbye, there’s no better time than now to get your grinding in check. After all, you only get one set of teeth in your lifetime. 

Now, let’s show those teeth some love and show your grinding who’s boss!