Do you grind your teeth at night? Here’s what to do

If you're waking up with a mouthful of denture or rubbing your temples in the morning, it might not be just bad luck. You could be grinding your teeth at night, a habit shared by roughly 8% of the adult population.

The condition is called sleep bruxism and can be hard to detect since we don't realize what we're doing while we're asleep. However, caregivers or bed partners may notice strange sounds like grating, tapping, or clicking.

Experts are unclear on the root causes of sleep bruxism, but it tends to run in families and is more common among individuals with medical conditions such as sleep apnea, Parkinson's disease, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Stress and anxiety may also be contributing factors.

The most effective way to identify whether you have sleep bruxism is through a dental check-up. Dentists can spot patterns of tooth wear that indicate bruxism, such as flattened surfaces. Other signs include waking up with your teeth clenched or chronic jaw pain.

Sleep bruxism can be damaging to your teeth if left unchecked. Grinding your teeth at night can apply forces of up to 250 pounds on a single tooth, causing damage to the enamel, chipped or cracked teeth, and increased sensitivity. It may also trigger TMJ disorder, resulting in jaw, facial, and ear pain.

While mild cases might not require treatment, more serious cases call for evaluation by a dentist or physician. In these situations, custom-made nightguards can help protect your teeth from damage. Behavioral adjustments such as regular sleep schedules, caffeine reduction, and creating a calm sleep environment may also reduce triggers for the condition.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." We're already halfway there just by acknowledging that we might be grinding our teeth at night! It's time to take control of our sleep habits and get some much-needed dental check-ups to figure out if we've got this condition. Those 8% of us who are struggling with sleep bruxism deserve a break from the grind (pun intended)!

Omg yaaas let's talk about sleep bruxism!!! I'm like 8% of adults who grind my teeth at night LOL but no seriously its kinda scary to think about how much force our brains can apply to our bodies while we're asleep! Anyways, I think it's super important to get checked out by a dentist if you wake up with tooth pain or clenching issues. And btw, who else is guilty of lying awake at night stressing about stuff? Stress and anxiety are def contributing factors so yeah let's try to relax before bed, okay?

Ugh, grinding teeth at night is so not cool ! I mean, 8% of adults are affected? That's pretty wild! Anyway, I think it's crazy how we don't even realize we're doing it while we sleep. My bf has this problem and all he knows is waking up with toothache . Anyway, if you have bruxism, just get checked by a dentist already! Those forces of 250 pounds can be huge for your teeth . I've read that stress and anxiety can trigger it too, so maybe take some relaxation techniques before bed? Like meditation or something . And yeah, custom-made nightguards are super important if you're really bad at grinding your teeth .

I totally get why people are grinding their teeth at night - it's super frustrating to wake up with this weird pain or feeling like you're gonna snap in half . I've heard of it from friends who have sleep bruxism, and it sounds so annoying! The thought that stress and anxiety can trigger it is crazy ... but I guess that's just life, right? Anyways, custom-made nightguards sound like a total game-changer . Has anyone tried those? How effective are they? Should we all start wearing them to bed? Just curious!

I'm soooo tired of people being clueless about their own habits, lol! I mean, 8% of adults grinding their teeth at night? That's like, crazy! And it's not just the teeth that suffer, but also our jaw and facial muscles... I've got friends who swear by these custom-made nightguards, but I'm more of a "just chill and don't grind your teeth" kinda person. Like, have you guys ever noticed how stress and anxiety can sneak up on us? It's like, we're all just trying to cope with the world and our minds are just grinding away at midnight... or so it seems.

You guys, did you know that 8% of adults are grinding their teeth at night? It's called sleep bruxism! And if you're experiencing morning headaches or clenching your jaw, it might be a sign you have this condition. I just looked up some stats and 1 in 5 people with sleep apnea also have sleep bruxism... interesting, right? The forces of grinding can reach up to 250 pounds per tooth! That's insane. And if left untreated, it can lead to tooth damage, TMJ disorder, and more. But there is hope! Custom-made nightguards and behavioral adjustments like establishing a regular sleep schedule can help reduce triggers. I also found out that stress and anxiety can contribute to sleep bruxism... talk about a vicious cycle! Anyway, if you're experiencing any of these symptoms, get checked by a dentist or physician ASAP.

u gotta be kidding me 8% of us are grinding our teeth at nite lol that's like a whole lotta clenching goin on i mean i know stress & anxiety can be rough but come on, it's not like we're tryna ruin our own smiles anyway, i guess dental check-ups r the way to go, but what about all us non-dentist types? cant we just use some sort of mouthguard or somethin' online i mean, its only 250 pounds a tooth can't that be taken care of with some good ol' fashioned common sense

Ugh, I'm so tired of people not taking care of their teeth like we used to back in the day . Remember when you could go months without going to the dentist? Now it's like every five minutes! And now they're telling us that 8% of adults are grinding their teeth at night? That's just crazy talk . I mean, I've heard of sleep apnea and all that, but sleep bruxism? Never heard of it before. And what's with the stress and anxiety thing? Can't we just relax like we used to with a glass of milk and a bedtime story ? Anyway, I guess custom-made nightguards are the way to go now... not exactly the most exciting solution .

Ugh I had no idea I was grinding my teeth at night it's pretty cool that 8% of people share this habit though lol. My boyfriend always complains about me waking up with a mouthful of coffee ️, I think he's starting to suspect something anyway, gotta make an appointment with my dentist ASAP hoping they can help me out with some nightguards or whatever

I just got back from a vacation and I'm totally tired of all the plane rides ️ I wonder if people who grind their teeth at night are more likely to get motion sickness on planes? And does anyone know how they can prevent it? I heard some people use those eye masks that help with sleep, but would that really work for grinding your teeth too?

And omg, 8% of the population grinding their teeth all night?! That's kinda crazy . Do you think it's because we're always stressed out about stuff? Like, my friends and I were talking about school and exams and life, and it was like, so draining . Anyway, back to sleep bruxism... what kind of nightguards are available for people with this condition? Are they super expensive or something?

I don’t usually comment but... I had no idea I was grinding my teeth at night . I mean, I've woken up with headaches in the morning before and thought it was just stress or too much caffeine, but now I'm wondering if it's something more. 8% of the population is affected by sleep bruxism? That's crazy! I'll definitely be making an appointment at the dentist to get checked out. And can you imagine grinding your teeth so hard that it's like a 250-pound force on a single tooth? That's just wild.

Ugh, I'm so tired of people not taking care of their teeth . Sleep bruxism is like, a major thing and it's so easy to fix if you just go to the dentist regularly . But no, people wait until they're waking up with a mouthful of denture or jaw pain, thinking "oh no what's happening?" . Meanwhile, their teeth are all messed up because of grinding at night . It's like, common sense, guys! Take care of your teeth, it's not that hard .

omg have you guys ever noticed how weird it is when you're trying to fall asleep but your brain just won't shut off? like i was at my friend's house last weekend and we were all trying to wind down before bed but my friend's phone was still blowing up with notifications... and then someone mentioned that stress can cause sleep bruxism which got me thinking, have you ever tried those face masks that are supposed to help you relax? i've been eyeing them for ages but never actually tried one out

I know some ppl who have been grinding their teeth at nite and they wake up w/ this crazy jaw pain it's like their mouth is clenched 24/7! i've heard its not just stress and anxiety that can cause it tho... my aunt has sleep apnea and she started grindin her teeth after gettin diagnosed guess the doc said it's more common among ppl w/ those conditions. anyway, i think it's pretty cool how dentists can spot these patterns of tooth wear... like, they can see if you're grindin your teeth even when u're sleepin!

I'm like "yaaas" to people who are like "hey I grind my teeth at night lol" I mean it's not something to be proud of, but at least we're aware now, right? Sleep bruxism might sound super annoying, but I guess it's actually kinda cool that our bodies do this thing in their sleep without us even realizing it. And can you believe like 8% of the population is grinding their teeth at night?! That's wild. Anyway, I think it's awesome that dentists and docs are on it to help people figure out what's going on and find ways to stop it. Like, custom-made nightguards sound like a total game-changer!

omg u gotta take care of ur teeth!!! i mean sleep bruxism is literally so common but ppl dont even no they got it it can be super damaging 2 ur teeth & jaw if u leave it unchecked i think its really cool that dentists can spot patterns of tooth wear 2 detect it anyway its def important 2 get a dental check-up if u notice any weird symptoms or if u wake up w/ a mouthful of denture

Ugh, I'm so sick of how useless the dental check-up system is here . Like, they just rely on you coming in voluntarily to show them your teeth? What if you're too busy or can't afford it? And what's with the "mild cases" comment? Who decides that anyway? It should be a one-size-fits-all approach if we're gonna address sleep bruxism properly . I'm all for those custom-made nightguards, though - that's some solid tech . But seriously, can't we just have a universal health screening system that detects bruxism without us having to beg our dentists for it? It'd be a total game-changer

Ugh I'm like 8% of those people who grind their teeth at night lol. I have no idea how many times my partner has told me to stop clenching my teeth while we're sleeping. And it's not just that, but waking up with a mouthful of denture sounds so painful . I'm gonna make sure to get checked out by the dentist ASAP and see if there's anything that can be done about it. It's crazy how something like this can be caused by stress and anxiety... I swear, my morning grind is not just bad luck

omg u gotta get ur teeth checked ASAP if u grind ur teeth at nite i mean its easy to not no u r doin while u r sleepin lol but trust me its def worth it to avoid all that damage 2 ur smile like, have u ever woken up with headaches or pain in ur jaw?? its probs cuz u got sleep bruxism and its way easier 2 deal w/ than a root canal or somethin just stick 2 good oral hygiene & get those night guards if u need 'em