If you wake up from a night’s sleep with sore teeth or saw jaws you could be grinding your teeth.
Grinding of the teeth is known as bruxism, which is the rhythmic clenching of the jaws. Teeth grinding is usually done unconsciously in your sleep, but it can also occur whilst you are awake. During the day, a person who is concentrating on a task will often place their teeth together and apply force through a contraction of the jaw muscles. This is commonly associated with the daytime tasks of lifting heavy objects, driving, reading and writing.
The most common symptom of teeth grinding is a headache, as people who grind their teeth are three times more likely to suffer from headaches. Other symptoms include muscle aches, enlargement of facial muscles, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discomfort, stiffness of the shoulders and neck, ear pain and sleep disorders.
If you suffer from teeth grinding or persistent headaches, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Tinney and the team at Sydney General Dental today.
Tooth grinding and clenching are symptomatic of a condition known as bruxism. This can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder which can cause headaches.
At Sydney General Dental, we offer customised solutions such as mouth guards and splints that are worn during sleep to relieve pain, discomfort and wear caused by jaw clenching and teeth grinding. Dr Tinney will provide you with the appropriate course of action to treat your specific problem, using solutions that take into consideration all the complexities of the condition.
Bruxism can not only result in severe headaches but also contribute to jaw pain, hearing loss, tooth fractures, wore down teeth, neck and back pains and the wearing down of restorative work. In extreme cases, it can lead to Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) and alter your facial appearance.