Teeth Grinding & Sleep Apnoea
Do you grind your teeth while you sleep? Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnoea or suspect that you may have it? At Sunnybank Plaza Dental, we treat patients with bruxism, or teeth grinding, and those who suffer from sleep apnoea.
How Do I Know If I Grind My Teeth?
You’re not conscious while you’re sleeping, and therefore you can’t know whether you’re grinding unless you look for the signs of it when you’re awake. You may have pain in the jaw or a headache straightaway when you wake. You may also clench your teeth, which can even happen during waking hours.
If you leave bruxism untreated, you can have facial pain, oral health problems, damage to the teeth and jaws and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, or TMJ syndrome.
The Causes of Bruxism
There is no single explanation for grinding and clenching your teeth. Instead, there can be numerous causes, including:
- Stress and anxiety
- An undiagnosed sleeping disorder
- Crooked or missing teeth
- Extreme fatigue
- Excessive snoring
- Lifestyle choices and factors
If you suspect that you grind or clench, you might have pain in the face, neck, jaw muscles and joints, constant headaches, restless sleep, loose, fractured or sensitive teeth, and worn-down teeth, which your dentist can identify.
Your Treatment Options
We can easily detect if you grind or clench through an examination. If you have experienced any of the symptoms discussed above, you should get immediate treatment so that further damage doesn’t occur.
The best solutions available to treat bruxism is an occlusal splint created by a professional. This custom-fitted oral appliance is made of plastic. Depending on what causes your bruxism, we may be able to offer other types of treatment, too, such as dental appliances to improve breathing or medications to relax your muscles.
Find Out More
If you’re suffering from the symptoms of teeth grinding and sleep apnoea Sunnybank, we can provide you with the solutions you need. Contact our team today to schedule an appointment! All major health funds are accepted at our practice.
