How to Determine If You Grind Your Teeth at Night

When you grind your teeth, this is actually a medical condition known as bruxism. When you grind your teeth, you are putting your dental health at risk. For example, teeth grinding can eventually lead to wearing down your teeth, loosening them or even losing them altogether. However, if you grind your teeth at night, it can be trickier to determine if you have a problem. It is important to figure this out, however, so you can start working on reducing your teeth grinding.

Instructions

• 1

  Pay attention to how you feel when you wake up and throughout the day. If you have a slight headache that seems to be ongoing, you could be grinding your teeth at night.

• 2

  Focus on how your jaw feels. A soreness or tight feeling could point to signs of teeth grinding.

• 3

  If you sleep with a partner, ask if they have ever noticed the sounds of grinding teeth during the night or after you fall asleep.

• 4

  Make an appointment with your dentist. Wear and tear on your teeth and jaw soreness can be examined by a dentist to determine if you grind your teeth at night.

• 5

  If you wear a mouth guard at night for several weeks and symptoms such as a sore jaw or headaches start to subside, then you were likely grinding your teeth.