Excessive jaw clenching and bruxism can accelerate tooth and jaw deterioration. Often, patients are not aware that they may be involuntarily grinding or clenching their teeth during the day or night. Meanwhile, Snoring or Obstructive Sleep Apnea can impact the quality of your own sleep and general health and that of those around you. We recommend a thorough examination for all our patients to firstly establish a diagnosis and then help to find the best solutions. A night splint can protect teeth from night grindings (bruxism) and an anti snoring Mandibular Advancement Splint (Snore guard) can help most Sleep Apnea patients.
The consequences of grinding
Over the years, the accumulated toll of bruxing can produce a wide range of damage that includes:
- Front teeth worn down so they are flat and even in length.
- Micro-cracks and broken fillings, eventually leading to nerve damage.
- Teeth ground down to the dentin, causing sensitivity to heat and cold.
- Gum recession, due to pressure on the gum line.
- Loose teeth, caused by the rocking effect of bruxing, and gum pockets, also produced by the back-and-forth rocking effect.
- Headache and aching jaws due to overuse of muscles
Do you have an Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
The signs and symptoms of OSA are wide and varied. You may have one or more symptoms below, more can be found here.
- Snoring
- Episodes of gasping, snorting or choking during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue or lethargy
- Lack of energy and endurance
- Falling asleep or needing to have a nap during the day
- Disturbed or restless sleep (OSA sometimes causes insomnia)
- Poor memory and concentration
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
- Irritability, depression, anxiety, mood and behaviour changes (including ADHD in children)
- Increased frequency of urination during the night
- Rapid weight gain or difficulty in losing weight