If you’re experiencing mysterious jaw pain and tooth sensitivity, you may be grinding your teeth at night, a condition called bruxism. In the most extreme cases, it has been known to change the shape of people’s faces and cause hearing loss. At the very least, it wears teeth down to the point they break and need to be replaced. The good news is, there are solutions!

The first step is to realize you’re grinding your teeth, a hard thing to determine because you do it in your sleep. If you start to experience uncomfortable changes in your waking hours, it’s time to check in with your dentist. In our last blog, we discussed several symptoms of bruxism, including earaches and tongue indentations. Today, we have a few more signs!

Damage to the Inside of the Cheek
You may be chewing on your cheek in addition to grinding your teeth. If you have unexplained damage on the inside of your cheek, get it checked out.

Jaw Tightness and Pain
If you’re flexing your jaw muscles all night, they aren’t going to be happy with you during the day. This is one of the most clear signs of bruxism.

Facial Pain or Headache
The tension in your jaw muscles will spread to the rest of your face and give you tension headaches.

At our family dentistry, we have experience with bruxism in adults and children. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, make an appointment with us today. We are ready to help!

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.