Do you ever feel like your jaw is in pain or sore when you wake up in the morning? It is possible that it comes from teeth grinding throughout the night. Don’t worry though, many people are affected by teeth grinding, let's talk about why and how to fix it!

With teeth grinding, it gradually wears down your teeth that can cause damage to the underlying bone structure or even break the tooth. At your regular dental appointments, your dentist would check for the signs of grinding such as tenderness in your jaw muscles, obvious abnormalities, and will take x-rays to see if it has reached underneath. 

Depending on how severe the case is, there are several different ways to treat it. Some children outgrow the grinding as they get older, but if it persists a great cost effective alternative may be a mouthguard. It will take some time for you to get used to since you would be sleeping in it, however it would protect those nice strong teeth! If the wear down has gotten very severe then a solution would be dental treatments of crowns to repair the damage. 

A great way to understand the source of your teeth grinding is to think about any stress triggers or possible behavioral changes that initiate it. If it is stress induced, learn strategies to promote relaxation and ease your mind into a stress free slumber. If it is due to behavior or habit, ask your dentist for the best mouth and jaw position and practice to get your structure used to it and decline the teeth grinding. 

If you are still unsure what is the best method for you, just contact your dentist and they will be happy to help!