Did you know that insomnia can be related to your teeth? That’s right. Tension, jaw pain and teeth grinding are a few factors that might be interrupting your precious shut-eye time.
Often people have no idea they even grind their teeth and that it can negatively impact their sleep. Other signs of teeth grinding include a grinding noise heard by a partner, flattened teeth, worn down enamel, gum recession, over-sensitive teeth, tight jaw, earaches and headaches in the morning. The solution to this frustrating problem is often straightforward: wearing a nighttime mouthguard.
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A mouthguard is a covering worn over your teeth to protect them from injury due to teeth grinding. Wearing a mouthguard is easy to do and has many benefits, especially if you’re a teeth grinder. Teeth grinding causes a plethora of problems for your teeth. They can all be avoided by simply wearing a night mouthguard while you sleep. Here are seven of the most significant benefits of wearing a mouthguard at night.
1. Keeps Your Pearly Whites Pretty and Healthy
Teeth grinding causes damage to the teeth. Why put up with it if you don’t have to? A night guard will protect your teeth and avoid contact between your upper and lower teeth while you sleep. Teeth grinding can break or chip your teeth and also wear down the enamel, leading to overly sensitive teeth. Ouch! With the loss of tooth enamel, you won’t be enjoying that ice cream so much anymore. Grinding can also cause damage to teeth fillings. The only thing worse than getting a filling done the first time is getting it done a second time. Your smile is beautiful; keep it that way with a mouthguard.
2. Can Cure Headaches and Jaw Pain
Did you know that your pounding headaches might be related to teeth grinding? A sign that this may be the cause is if you wake up every morning with a headache. A mouthguard will prevent you from clenching your jaw in your sleep, which causes muscle fatigue, headaches, jaw pain, ear pain and possibly neck aches. It’s tough to know if you grind your teeth at night since you are asleep, but If you wake up every morning with a headache, then a night guard is worth a try.
3. Helps with Snoring
Does your partner make jokes about sleeping next to a bear because you snore so loud? Or maybe the other way around? Snoring can cause extreme frustration for couples and often, a mouthguard is a quick fix. A mouthguard can prevent loud snoring by correcting your breathing pattern. When teeth grinding occurs, the jaw clenches and limits the amount of air you can breathe while asleep. A mouthguard keeps the teeth separate and increases the amount of air, making for quieter sleep.
4. Cheaper than Dental Work
Damage from teeth grinding can lead to many pricey trips to the dentist. Investing in a mouthguard is much more affordable and worth it. It’s not a nuisance and it’s not painful. You have to remember to put it on every night before bed. Set a reminder on your phone to put it on and enjoy a good night’s rest without teeth grinding and snoring. We recommend getting a mouthguard at the first sign of teeth grinding. It will save you a lot of money on the long road.
5. Helps Create Healthy Sleep Patterns
Mouthguards help to separate your top and bottom teeth to avoid teeth grinding and keep your teeth in position to avoid unhealthy habits and erratic sleep patterns. A mouthguard will reduce stress, promote healthier teeth, reduce pain, and allow better sleep at night. Make sure to wear your mouthguard during naps as well. Wear it anytime you sleep.
6. Prevents Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
TMJ is a condition that causes the chewing muscles to be very tight and sore, and the joint connecting the jaw and skull is dysfunctional. TMJ is often caused by teeth grinding because the pressure strains the muscles, nerves and ligaments around the jaw. TMJ most likely will not occur with a custom-fit mouthguard on. It will help to ease muscle fatigue and relieve pain right away. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of TMJ, try a mouthguard.
7. Improves Your Overall Health
A lack of sleep, heavy snoring and damage to the teeth can contribute to declining health. It can make you feel lethargic regularly, which can exponentially affect your day-to-day life. A mouthguard will help make you feel better and be healthier altogether if you’re struggling with any of the above problems.
Since teeth grinding happens while you’re sleeping, you may be unaware that you even do it. Contact your West Haven or Layton dentist today if you suspect that you may be a teeth grinder. They can get you fitted for a custom mouthguard and eradicate nighttime teeth grinding once and for all. Pop that mouthguard in and enjoy the peaceful sleep that you’ve been longing for!