Teeth Grinding — Do Not Buy a Boil-and-Bite Guard Yet
Grinding wears teeth and wakes partners. An exam tells us which guard, if any, is worth making.
What is happening?
Bruxism is clenching or grinding, often at night. Stress is the main driver. Sleep disorders including sleep apnea, a bite that does not fit, some SSRI antidepressants, caffeine, alcohol, and family history also show up in the history.
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Common symptoms
- A partner who hears grinding
- Morning headaches or jaw ache
- Flattened, chipped, or worn edges
- New sensitivity
- A scalloped edge along the tongue
Is it urgent?
Worn edges, morning headaches, or a partner hearing it — routine visit for a guard assessment. Daytime sleepiness or witnessed breathing pauses — say so, because we screen for sleep apnea and do not diagnose it. A tooth that just cracked from a grind — that tooth is the urgent part, not the guard.
Before your grinding assessment
Notice the pattern
Write down whether it follows stressful weeks, alcohol, or late caffeine.
Skip the pharmacy guard for now
A boil-and-bite guard bought before an exam often treats the wrong problem and can change the bite.
Mention sleep
If you gasp at night or you are exhausted in the afternoon, tell us. An oral appliance for apnea comes only after a physician and a sleep study.
Common causes
Stress and anxiety · Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea · Bite misalignment · Some antidepressants (SSRIs) · Caffeine and alcohol · Family history
How we diagnose it
We look at wear facets, the tongue's scalloped edge, and the jaw muscles, and we ask about sleep. A guard is designed after that exam. We do not sell one from a photo of your teeth.
How we treat it
A guard that fits this bite
A custom night guard is made from a scan or impression when the exam says the teeth need protection. The type depends on whether you clench, grind, or both.
The driver, if we can see it
Stress, caffeine, and a sleep problem are named. We do not claim a guard cures any of them.
Related pages
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question? Our team is happy to help over the phone.
(416) 483-0000Should I buy a guard from the drugstore tonight?
Wait for the exam. The wrong soft guard can make clenching more comfortable and still move teeth.
Will a night guard stop me grinding?
It gives the teeth something to wear against besides each other. It does not switch the habit off.
I was told I might have sleep apnea.
We can screen and, after a physician confirms the diagnosis, talk about an oral appliance. We do not diagnose sleep apnea here.
Read this as education
These are common patterns, not a diagnosis of your tooth. Your dentist determines the cause during an examination.