If you suffer from grinding or clenching your teeth at night, a night guard might be the best choice for you. Night guards help keep the jaw joints stable and prevent damage to both the joints and your teeth by minimizing the effects of clenching and grinding. This condition is known to the dental world as bruxism and while it usually occurs at night which makes diagnosing it tricky, bruxism can occur during the day as well, usually due to stress.
There are a few symptoms to look out for though so you can visit your dentist as soon as possible to diagnose your bruxism and get a night guard. These symptoms include:
- Tooth pain
- Jaw pain
- Frequent headaches (especially in the morning)
Failure to diagnose bruxism and the damage to your teeth and jaw can turn into these symptoms:
- Worn, fractured, and cracked teeth
- Hearing Loss
- Tooth Sensitivity