4 Signs You’d Benefit From a Night Guard

Grinding your teeth (bruxism) might not seem like a big deal. You might do it involuntarily when you’re stressed or in your sleep. Unfortunately, this unconscious behavior can have damaging consequences for your teeth. 

When you grind your teeth and clench your jaw, your teeth press and rub together forcefully. This wears down the enamel — the protective outer layer of your teeth. The enamel protects your teeth from cavities and damage, so when it’s worn down, you’re more likely to encounter these issues. 

A custom night guard can protect your teeth from grinding and clenching as you sleep. Our team of leading dental specialists at Hendricks Dental Specialists in Brentwood, Tennessee, can create a custom dental appliance for you to wear at night to prevent damage from teeth grinding.

You probably don't know about it when you grind your teeth in your sleep. However, there may be signs you’re overlooking. Here are four signs you might benefit from a night guard: 

1. Morning headaches

Many people who grind their teeth at night wake up to headaches. 

Instead of accepting these morning headaches and starting your days off on the wrong foot, consider consulting our team for a night guard. When you stop grinding your teeth and relax your jaw at night, you can get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. 

2. Jaw pain and stiffness

When you grind your teeth, your temporomandibular joints (jaw joints) work overtime. This can lead to jaw pain and other signs of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Common symptoms of TMD include:

• Jaw stiffness
• Jaw locking
• Clicking or popping sounds when you move your jaw
• Jaw soreness
• Headaches
• Facial pain

A night guard prevents your jaw from overworking as you grind your teeth at night, which commonly causes issues with the temporomandibular joints. 

3. Damaged and sensitive teeth

If your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold temperatures without an obvious cause, it could be due to bruxism-related enamel wear. You might feel tooth pain while biting and chewing. If your teeth are worn down, it’s an indication you’ve been grinding them and may need a night guard. 

Always schedule an appointment with our team if you experience tooth pain or notice damage.

4. Tinnitus or earaches

Do your ears ring even when you haven’t attended a loud event? Ringing ears (tinnitus) can indicate bruxism. You might hear a constant buzzing sound or humming. While tinnitus is usually temporary, long-lasting ear ringing can be distracting and disruptive. 

Earaches without an ear infection can be a sign of bruxism. Your temporomandibular joints are close to your ears, so when they’re overworked because of bruxism, the jaw pain can translate into ear pain. 

To learn more about night guards and how they prevent teeth grinding, call Hendricks Dental Specialists or book an appointment online today.