Do I Need a Mouthguard for Teeth Grinding?

You must be familiar with mouthguards if you play contact sports. The device covers your teeth and gums, preventing and reducing injury. An effective mouthguard is like a crash helmet. It mitigates trauma that could be very painful.

Aside from athletes, other people can benefit from using mouthguards. Most of these people have dental issues but wait too long. You must understand when you need to consider using a mouthguard.

Do I Need One?

People who grind their teeth need a mouthguard. Grinding teeth or bruxism causes someone to clench their jaws at night. They are usually not aware, but they feel the effects in the morning when they wake up.

Mouthguards are not a cure for the grinding of teeth. However, it limits the overnight clenching and grinding. It also prevents and mitigates the consequences of the grinding.

Signs You Need a Mouthguard

It might take a lot to convince you to get a mouthguard, but if you know you grind your teeth at night, don’t wait. Get your mouthguard today.

If you are not sure but always wake up with some discomfort, chances are that you grind your teeth. Here are a few signs that may convince you that you grind your teeth and should get a mouthguard.

You Wake Up With a Headache

Do you wake up with a throbbing headache every morning? It could result from clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth at night. When you purposefully clench your jaw, you can do so at a force of 140 pounds per square inch.

Sometimes, the force can be as high as 700 pounds per square inch, especially when you have bruxism. It puts pressure on the muscles in your cheeks, jaw, and side of the head. The overworking of the muscles results in throbbing headaches or migraines.

Chipped Tooth

Have you ever woken up with a chipped tooth? It could be a sign of teeth grinding, and it needs immediate dental care. How does it happen? As you clench your jaw and apply force, you also move it back and forth.

The action puts pressure on the enamel and creates cracks. With time, the cracks weaken and tooth chips. Fixing these teeth can be expensive. Hence, you need to talk to your dentist about getting a mouthguard before chipping more teeth.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

The common symptoms of this condition are facial pain, headaches, jaw tenderness, and headaches. It affects the sliding hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. The temporomandibular joint disorder occurs when the joints in this area experience trauma or irritation.

It causes inflammation to set in and leads to pain and discomfort. Grinding teeth and clenching your jaw at night can result in this trauma. So, get a mouthguard to avoid the pain and discomfort. Mouthguards are protective devices that cover teeth and protect them from potential damage. Get yours before it is too late.

For more on teeth grinding and mouthguards, call Fei Hwang, D.D.S. Milpitas Family and Cosmetic Dentist at (408) 729-7882 to reach our office in Milpitas, California.