Grinding your teeth can be a sign of a toothache, but it can also indicate a condition known as bruxism. This is when someone grinds their teeth or clenches their jaws. Many people grind because of stress, anxiety, or sleep deprivation. The symptoms are that you feel pain in your jaw, face, neck and may even experience headaches.
Many people avoid talking about these symptoms as they cause embarrassment in social settings. However, there are many ways to help reduce the severity of the effects on your body with home remedies and treatments that are simple to do at home. You’ll also find that this issue can sometimes be related to other medical conditions like diabetes and arthritis. Here we will discuss what it is, why it happens, treatments, prevention, and FAQs.
What is Grinding Teeth?
Grinding teeth refers to when you clench your teeth together and grind them on the bottom of your jaw. Several different things can cause this. Many people grind their teeth because they are stressed, anxious, or sleep-deprived. Others grind because they have an overbite or too much space between their teeth. Others may grind because they have an infection in the mouth or even cancer.
Causes of Grinding Teeth
There are many different causes of grinding teeth. With most cases being caused by anxiety and stress, there are also many other causes. Some of the most common causes are:
- Stress and anxiety: People who grind their teeth often do so because they are anxious or nervous.
- Bad sleep habits: If you have a habit of grinding your teeth in your sleep, this can cause damage to your gums and jawbones over time. It is also a habit that can develop into an addiction, which can be dangerous.
- Overeating: If you eat a lot of foods that cause your teeth to hurt, you may grind your teeth in the process of chewing.
- Mouth breathing: If you breathe through your mouth all the time, this can cause your teeth to grind. The constant pressure on the gums and jawbones causes them to grind down over time.
- Tooth problems: There are many different causes for tooth problems and pain. If you have a problem with jawbones or dental issues, it may result in grinding your teeth as well.
Symptoms of Grinding Teeth
- Numbness and tingling: If you experience numbness or tingling in your mouth, it could be because you have an issue with grinding your teeth.
- Jaw pain: If you are experiencing pain in your jaw, it could be because of grinding your teeth. This is a very common sign that can occur for many different reasons.
- Bruxism: This is when the muscles in your face involuntarily twitch and grind during the day or night. It can cause damage to the gums, bones, and teeth.
- Damaged Teeth: If you have damaged teeth from grinding them, this can cause dental issues that may lead to jaw pain as well.
Treatments of Grinding Teeth
There are many different ways to treat grinding teeth and prevent them from happening in the future. If you are suffering from grinding teeth, it may be difficult to stop yourself from doing it. However, there are several things that you can do to help yourself and stop this painful habit.
- Braces: Braces are a great way to stop or prevent grinding teeth. This is because they force your jaws into a certain position that stops the clenching of your jaws.
- Mouthguard: Another way to limit grinding teeth is using a mouthguard when sleeping at night. This will help protect your jaw bone while you sleep, so you don’t grind your teeth at night while sleeping.
- Mouth Rinses: A mouth rinse can also be used as an alternative to brushing and flossing in the morning when you wake up. It can help wash away any food particles that may have been stuck between your teeth which could cause them to grind against each other during the daytime hours.
Home Remedies for Grinding Teeth
If you usually grind your teeth, you can use numerous home remedies to help stop this painful habit from occurring.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon can be used because it has anti-inflammatory properties, which will help stop the pain that you feel when you grind your teeth.
- Hot water: Hot water can also be used because it can help soften any food particles stuck between your teeth and prevent them from grinding against each other while sleeping.
- Ice cubes: They can be used as a natural remedy for grinding teeth, especially if you have sensitive teeth or gums prone to bleeding when exposed to cold temperatures at night.
- Saltwater: Saltwater mouthwashes have been known to be effective in preventing and reducing the amount of time that your mouth is exposed to cold temperatures at night while sleeping, which could cause you to grind your teeth.
- Tea: Use tea if you have sensitive teeth or gums prone to bleeding when exposed to cold temperatures at night.
Ways of Preventing Grinding Teeth in the Future
There are various ways to prevent your teeth from grinding in the future. The first way you can do this is by using a mouth guard while sleeping. A mouthguard is something that you wear while you sleep, and it is designed to protect your teeth from being crushed during the night.
Another way to prevent your teeth from grinding in the future is by using an effective natural remedy for grinding teeth. Several different methods have been proven to be effective for preventing and reducing the amount of time that your teeth grind in the future, including:
- Exercising: Exercising can help prevent and reduce the amount of time that your teeth grind in the future because it helps strengthen and build up the muscles inside of them. This will help prevent them from grinding against each other breaking. Exercising also helps to reduce the amount of stress that you feel in your teeth and gums, which is one of the main causes of teeth grinding.
Getting enough rest: Getting enough sleep can help prevent teeth grinding because it will help improve your overall health, which can help reduce the amount of damage that your teeth are exposed to when they grind against each other. - Eating a healthy diet: A healthy diet will have several benefits for preventing tooth grinding, including reducing inflammation in your mouth and helping to strengthen those muscles inside of it.
- Getting enough water: A lack of water can cause many problems in your body, including causing inflammation in your mouth and gums, which is one of the main causes of teeth grinding.
- Cleaning your teeth properly: Proper brushing and flossing habits are important for preventing teeth grinding because they will help remove any food particles trapped in your teeth and gums.
Conclusion
There are many different ways to help prevent grinding your teeth at night and help make sure that you do not experience any more damage than what was already done during the day. The first step is to ensure that you get enough sleep each night by having a comfortable mattress and pillow that will allow for a sound and restful sleep every night. Contact us today if you have any questions regarding grinding teeth
FAQs
How do I know if I am grinding my teeth?
If you are experiencing any pain in your jaw or mouth when you close your mouth and feel that you are grinding teeth at night, it is time to take action and make sure that you find out what is causing the problem. The easiest way to do this is by simply visiting a dentist to determine the cause of the problem.
How can I stop myself from grinding my teeth at night?
There are many different ways to stop yourself from grinding your teeth at night, but the easiest way to do this is by making sure that you have a nightguard fitted in your mouth. The night guard will ensure that you are not grinding your teeth while you sleep and help to protect your teeth from any damage.
Can I get a night guard fitted at home?
Usually, you will have to visit your dentist so that they can fit a night guard in your mouth, but this is not always the case. If you wish to find out if you can get a night guard fitted at home, then visit our website today and read all of the information that we have available on the subject.
How do I get a night guard fitted?
The process of getting a night guard fitted is relatively simple, and it will only take around 30 minutes to complete. Make an appointment with your dentist so that they can fit the night guard in your mouth.
