Teeth grinding, or bruxism, usually occurs during sleep, so many people don’t even realize that they’ve formed the habit. However, there are some signs that you can watch out for to tell whether or not you’re a nighttime teeth-grinder.

Look at your teeth

If you’ve been grinding your teeth for some time, you might be able to tell just by taking a good look at them. Do the edges of the teeth appear very flat, or do you notice the top and bottom sets fit together a little too perfectly? This can be a sign that you’ve been grinding them together and wearing down the surface.

Note if you wake up with pain

As you can imagine, grinding your teeth together at night can cause damage to more than just your pearly whites. Often, chronic teeth-grinders will wake up with pain in their mouth, jaw or even neck from the repetitive tension of the movement. If you often find yourself waking up with this kind of pain, it could be a sign.  

Have someone listen

If you share a bedroom with someone, ask if they’ve heard you grinding your teeth at night. If you do it consistently, odds are they have or will hear it at some point, and odds are they will want you to know. It’s not the most pleasant sound to wake up to!

Ask your dentist

If you think you might be grinding your teeth at night, or you’re still not sure, book an appointment with us. The long term effects of grinding your teeth can be devastating to your dental health, and something as simple as wearing a custom nightguard can make a world of difference!