You may grind your teeth at night and not even know it. Unless your partner complains of the noise you make, you may not know until you come in for a dental exam. At River Valley Smile Center, we want you to be able to recognize the signs of teeth grinding so you can get help right away.
If you notice any of the signs below, it’s important to get in for an appointment right away as teeth grinding can be detrimental to your oral health.
Painful and Tired Jaws
If you wake up often with sore or tired jaws, you may grind your teeth. Grinding your teeth causes your jaw muscles to tire quickly. If you do it often enough or hard enough, it could also cause tenderness in your jaw muscles that you feel long after you get out of bed. You may find that the pain increases as the day goes on too.
Headaches or Earaches
If you aren’t the type of person that gets headaches often, but find yourself with one upon waking, it could be a sign of teeth grinding. The pressure of grinding your teeth can cause a headache in your temples. It can also cause ear pain or soreness that you feel upon waking.
Damaged Teeth
It may be hard for you to tell if your teeth change subtly, but the damage that teeth grinding causes isn’t subtle. Look closely at your front teeth. Do they look more worn down than your other teeth? They’ll have a shorter appearance than you remember. Also look at your back teeth – do they look flat or have ‘pot holes’ in them? You could be grinding the enamel away.
Tooth Sensitivity
If some of your teeth suddenly feel sensitive, it could be a sign of teeth grinding. The sensitivity may feel like pain when you eat hot or cold foods or when cold air hits your mouth. The sensitivity occurs from the lack of enamel protecting your tooth’s nerves, allowing the sensitivity to occur.
If you grind your teeth, the professionals at River Valley Smile Center can help. After a thorough exam, we can put together a plan to help alleviate the stress that grinding your teeth puts your oral health through. Call us at 479-646-0706 to make your appointment today and let’s help you get a better night’s sleep right away!
