Why do I grind my teeth at night and what helps?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Night grinding runs with stress, caffeine, alcohol, some antidepressants and sleep apnea; many grinders only learn of it from morning jaw ache, headaches at the temples, or a dentist spotting the wear.
A custom night guard from a dentist protects the teeth, cheaper boil-and-bite versions help some. Cutting evening caffeine and alcohol and unwinding stress lowers the grinding itself.
Loud grinding plus snoring or unrefreshing sleep deserves an apnea screen, since treating apnea often quiets grinding. Untreated grinding cracks teeth expensively, so this is worth acting on early.
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