Have you ever woken up and found that your jaw, teeth, or gums are incredibly sore and agitated? While you might be suffering from poor dental hygiene, you could also be experiencing the side effects of bruxism.
Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, typically occurs in stressed or anxious individuals. It may be an unconscious daytime habit or an uncontrollable nighttime curse. Either way, if left uncontrolled, teeth grinding can cause some severe dental damage.
Fortunately, using teeth grinding guards can help reduce and prevent damage! By wearing a bruxism guard before bed, you could end up saving yourself years of gum, tooth, and jaw pain and thousands of dollars in dental care.
Do you experience any symptoms of bruxism?
Signs That You May Need a Teeth Grinding Guard
Here are the top seven signs that you may need to invest in a mouthguard!
You Wake Up With Jaw Pain
Your morning yawn shouldn’t be accompanied by jaw pain. If you’ve been grinding your teeth in your sleep, you may find that one or both sides of your face are sore and aching.
If you open your mouth wide and hear a clicking or “sandy” sound in your ears, you’ve likely been grinding your teeth for a while! In this case, it’s best to see a dental technician or physician right away to have a custom-made nightguard for tooth grinding made.
You could also choose to order a custom teeth grinding mouth guard kit that eliminates the need to visit a dentist! Jaw pain is a great signifier of bruxism and a warning sign of a more severe tooth, jaw, and facial damage to come.
That’s why it’s essential to fight bruxism early-on, and on as many fronts as possible.
You Snore Loudly and A Lot
Snoring isn’t only annoying for your partner. It’s a potential symptom of more significant health issues. People who have sleep apnea typically snore for a few hours before struggling to breathe. If you experience intense, loud, and reoccurring snoring, you may want to reach out to your physician or health care provider.
However, if your snoring is the result of sinus upset or bruxism, a mouthguard can work wonders. Your household is bound to sleep more peacefully without the sound of sawed logs.
Your Teeth Are Starting to Shift
If you’ve recently had your braces removed, then you likely understand the very real fear of shifting teeth. Teeth can shift due to jaw pressure, likely from erupting or still-present wisdom teeth. They can also begin turning and shifting if someone has been grinding their teeth.
Periodontal disease is also a significant factor that plays into shifting teeth. Taking excellent care of your teeth and gums is essential to defeating the symptoms and consequences of bruxism, periodontal disease, and shifting teeth.
You Play Impact Sports
Athletic mouthguards are a fantastic option for anyone who plays contact sports. They can protect your teeth from hard impacts and stress-related bruxism! Custom athletic mouthguards are easy to find and come in many different styles and colors.
Though you may think that it could never happen to you, more than 5 million teeth get knocked out every year — and sports are mostly to blame! Consider an athletic mouth guard just another part of your uniform.
You Suffer From Anxiety or Depression
If you suffer from stress, anxiety, or depression, there’s a good chance that you grind your teeth. Bruxism seems to be a built-in coping mechanism for these negative feelings and conditions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really make anything better.
However, it does lend a clue as to how to prevent and avoid teeth grinding. Practicing proper mental health habits is yet another crucial aspect of maintaining fantastic dental hygiene and health. A short walk, meditation, nutritional supplements, exercise, and greater water intake can all help to make you feel more relaxed.
Your Teeth Hurt
You may need a mouth guard for teeth grinding if your teeth are aching or hurting. Gum damage, tooth damage, and jaw damage are all symptoms of bruxism. To reduce the potential depth of damage, you need a custom-made mouth guard as soon as possible!
Tooth pain may also indicate gum disease or greater dental issues. If you are experiencing tooth pain that does not go away after a few hours, you may need to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Some dental issues can become life-threatening, so be sure to listen to your body and seek care when necessary.
You’ve Recently Had Teeth Removed
If you’ve recently had wisdom teeth — or any teeth, for that matter — removed, you’re likely to experience some shifting and gum pain. The body’s natural response is to chew. That’s why teething babies with sore gums seem so determined to bite anything and everything in sight.
As an adult, you have control over the situation. When you’re recovering from tooth removal, be sure to ask your dentist about a mouthguard. You can also choose to pick up an over-the-counter model or order one online.
The bottom line is that you’re likely to start grinding your teeth as a reflex to your tooth removal. Being prepared is the closest thing to avoiding the unpleasant process entirely.
Don’t Delay — Seek Help Today!
A mouth guard for teeth grinding doesn’t have to be an expensive or complicated purchase. Also, it could save you from experiencing some awful bouts of jaw or tooth pain and reduce healthcare costs down the road.
There are many symptoms of bruxism and many seemingly unrelated operations and situations that can cause bruxism. Maintaining superior dental hygiene, practicing proper mental health habits, and reaching out for professional help when necessary are all excellent ways to stay healthy and happy. It’s important to note that with proper care, most teeth-grinding guards will last for 2 years before you need a replacement.
When all else fails, be sure to protect your mouth with a customized mouth guard. You may just be saving your teeth by doing so. What are you waiting for? Don’t wait for another second to browse and buy a quality teeth grinding guard!
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