Night Guards

Grinding and clenching of the teeth is a common habit. Done occasionally, it usually won’t harm your teeth. If you grind on a regular basis, however, your teeth and overall oral health can be damaged. At Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, we can evaluate the effects of your grinding and fit you with a custom-created mouth guard to protect your smile.

What harm can teeth grinding do?

Thought to be due to stress, an abnormal bite or missing and crooked teeth, grinding occurs most often during sleeping hours. Many people are unaware they grind, but the symptoms include a dull and constant headache or a sore jaw. Left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss or fracture, and can even result in the teeth being worn to stumps. Then, a bridge, crown, dental implant or other intervention is necessary. Grinding can also affect your jaws, cause hearing loss, worsen or cause temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder and change your facial appearance.

How can teeth grinding be stopped?

Our experienced team of dental professionals can fit you for a mouth guard that’s fabricated to your mouth for a perfect fit, stopping you from grinding. Additional helpful hints include stress counselling, an exercise program, seeing a physical therapist or getting a prescription from your muscle relaxants.

Furthermore, there are some simple tips to keep in mind to stop your grinding:

• Avoid or cut back on caffeine and alcohol, which can intensify grinding
• Don’t chew on pens, pencils or even chewing gum, as it overuses jaw muscles
• Train during the day by putting the tip of your tongue between upper and lower teeth, forcing your jaw muscles to relax
• Apply a warm washcloth to your cheek in front of your earlobe at night to help jaw muscles relax