3 Signs You Might Need a Night Guard

If you grind your teeth at night (a condition called bruxism), you could be doing real, lasting damage to your teeth. Teeth grinding puts pressure on your tooth enamel and can lead to broken, chipped, or even lost permanent teeth.

Nightguards play an important role in the protection of your tooth enamel. Unfortunately, many people who grind their teeth at night are unaware that they’re doing it. You can protect yourself from teeth grinding with nightguards in Bellbrook, OH, but how do you know if you need them? Below are three signs.

1. You Wake Up With Headaches

Tension and pressure from bruxism reverberate up the jaw and into the cheek, head, and neck. This tension can lead to headaches that patients experience when they first wake up in the morning. If you get headaches in the mornings, this could be a sign that you grind your teeth throughout the night.

2. Your Spouse Noticed You Grinding Your Teeth

You may not be able to tell if you’re grinding your teeth at night, but your spouse will likely notice. Teeth grinding creates a noise that bed partners often pick up on. If your spouse has noticed you grinding your teeth, especially if they notice it regularly, see your dentist to get a nightguard.

3. Your Teeth Are Worn Down or Damaged

Grinding your teeth can cause the tooth enamel to become worn or can cause your teeth to become broken. If you have bruxism, you may even notice your permanent teeth becoming loose.

You may not know these are signs of bruxism, but your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, will. Seeing the dentist on a regular basis can help you identify problems like bruxism, so you can get a nightguard. Most dentists recommend that their patients come in for dental appointments every six months. Maintaining this dental exam schedule can help you catch the signs of bruxism early before problems like loose permanent teeth develop.

The professionals at Bellbrook Family Dentistry prioritize patient dental health. Our experienced professionals can recognize problems like damage created by bruxism. To stay on top of your dental health, contact Bellbrook Family Dentistry to make an appointment.