Does Nighttime Bruxism Wake You Up? There Are Treatment Options

Posted on 9/20/2018 by Thomas Mahar

Do you grind your teeth at night? Some people do this and don't realize it, but others find themselves waking up regularly due to pain, aches in their jaw, or even from the noise the grinding makes.

If you can't get a good night's sleep because you're grinding your teeth too much, there are a number of treatment options that can help.

Is Your Bruxism Caused by a Medical Condition?

Before we can look at the different treatment options for you, we have to determine the cause of your nighttime bruxism. Some people have physical causes. Sleep apnea, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, and GERD can all cause bruxism in adults.

Children who are grinding their teeth may do so because of asthma or an infection in their upper airway. In addition to making an appointment with us to look at the dental side of bruxism, you may need to have your doctor run a few tests to rule out some of these other issues.

If the diagnosis is one of these medical conditions, treating the underlying cause will help treat your bruxism. For example, we can assist you with sleep apnea by providing you with a type of mouth guard that helps keep your airway open and prevents grinding of the teeth at night.

Emotional Issues that Cause Bruxism

On the other hand, your bruxism may be the physical sign of an emotional issue. If you're stressed out due to work or your home life, you may start grinding your teeth as an outlet for this stress.

Bottling up your emotions can also result in bruxism. In this case, the treatment you need may involve seeing a psychiatrist. We can provide you with a mouth guard, of course, but the underlying cause of your bruxism will never go away unless you work out the emotional triggers behind it.

Are you concerned that you're grinding your teeth too much at night? If so, contact us today for a consultation. If we determine that you are suffering from nighttime bruxism, we'll work with you to determine the cause and the appropriate course of treatment.

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