Often, clenching and grinding happens during sleep, leaving some people unaware that it’s happening at all. This can lead to mornings filled with headaches and jaw pain – often blamed on stress.
What many people don’t know is that clenching and grinding during sleep can be related to an airway and/or sleep disorder. During sleep, the muscles relax, and the tongue moves into the back of the mouth. When there is an already small airway structure, the tongue can block some or all of the airway. Airway blockage causes the body to wake itself up, or compensate.
The compensation is often clenching and/or grinding. The motion of clenching forces the jaw forward, opening the airway, and allowing the body to breathe again. Though the clenching and grinding may help you to breathe better at night, it can be extremely damaging and painful to teeth and jaws.
Here are a few symptoms that may indicate clenching and grinding during sleep:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Tooth sensitivity
- Toothaches
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Jaw pain or temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ)
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it is best to schedule a consultation with an airway-focused dentist to discuss your treatment options.