Do you ever wake up with a headache or a sore jaw? If so, you may be grinding your teeth at night. Many people do it and don’t even realize it. Why do we grind our teeth when we sleep? Most of the current knowledge now links chronic jaw muscle overactivity (grinding) to turbulence, narrowing or collapse of the airway during sleep. Sleep apnea thus is a very powerful trigger for night time bruxing, in fact the term in the medical literature is sleep bruxism. Getting a proper sleep study is critical to understanding if you have some form of sleep breathing disorder that may be largely responsible for grinding.
Bruxism and Its Symptoms
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding. It can happen during the day or at night, but most people do it at night without realizing it. If you have bruxism, you may wake up with a headache or sore jaw. You may also notice that your teeth are more sensitive or that your gums are receding. Over time, bruxism can cause serious dental problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss.
It was once the accepted opinion that lifestyle, personality or stress was the cause of grinding teeth. This is an outdated concept. Unfortunately, many dentists still prescribe nightguards for this condition thinking that keeping the teeth apart at night will protect them. This is also a flawed concept because recent research has shown that nightguards actually make the airway worse and will make sleep apnea problems measurably worse. This will flare up jaw muscles even more and increase pain. A properly designed custom sleep appliance is the most appropriate nighttime appliance to wear, not a nightguard.
Why Do People Grind Teeth at Night?
The best evidence we have today is that grinding is a side effect of overtaxed jaw muscles. The chronic fatigued state of jaw muscles strongly relates to the jaw not resting at night like the rest of the body. Fatigued jaw muscles will lead to increased contraction of the muscles and precipitate clenching and grinding.
The pain associated with this state is much like a muscle cramp that can develop from overused and tired muscles anywhere else in the body. The brain during sleep triggers the repeated contraction of key jaw muscles as an attempt to open and stabilize the collapsing airway in a person who has some form of sleep breathing disorder. OSA ( obstructive sleep apnea) is only one form of a sleep disorder, as there are over 80 different diagnosable forms of sleep breathing problems. Again, a sleep study is key to knowing if and what kind of disorder is in play.
Another now recognized cause of grinding is improper positioning of the tongue fully into the palate. This is called rest oral posture. When the tongue is properly trained it will fully seal up into the palate. If the tongue lies low between the teeth, automatically the jaw muscles are activated to help hold the lower jaw up. Again over time a chronically overworked jaw muscles leads to the same fatigue-contraction- clench/grind cycle. We are very focused on myofunctional diagnosis and treatment and this is incorporated into all of our treatment at Balance Epigenetic Orthodontics.
Risks Associated With Bruxism
If you’re grinding your teeth, you may be at risk of developing other serious issues. When left untreated, bruxism can wear down your teeth or cause jaw pains, headaches, earaches, neck pain, or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ/TMD).
Bruxism and TMJ
TMJ is a condition that causes pain and dysfunction in your temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull. Many people who grind their teeth at night also have TMJ because bruxism can cause the muscles and joints in your jaw to become irritated.
Comprehensive Treatment
Are you tired of grinding your teeth at night? If your bruxism is caused by an underlying medical condition like sleep apnea, treating the condition can help stop bruxism.
Millions of people suffer from TMJ disorder and don’t even know it. If you’re one of them, Dr. Buck can help. His advanced, state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to TMJ and sleep apnea treatments.
You deserve to get a good night’s sleep without worrying about how you’re going to keep your teeth from grinding all night long. Schedule an appointment with us today by calling (425) 361-0826 or filling out our contact form.
