Grinding happens while you are asleep, so the person doing it is the last to find out. Usually it is a partner who mentions the noise, or a dentist who spots the wear.
Here is what to look for yourself.
The morning timing is the clue. Pain that is worst when you wake up and eases through the day points at something happening overnight.
Front teeth gone flat across the edges, with small chips and tiny cracks in the enamel. Fillings that come loose in the same spot, over and over. A ridge of bone inside the lower jaw, where the muscle has pulled for years.
None of these hurt. That is why grinding often goes a decade before anyone catches it.
Enamel does not grow back. Once the biting edge is worn flat, the tooth is shorter for good. A shorter tooth changes how your bite meets.
Worn teeth also get more sensitive. The layer under the enamel is softer and closer to the nerve. A tooth under that load for years is the one most likely to crack.
Stress is the common one. A bite that does not meet evenly can do it, and so can some medications, late caffeine and alcohol before bed. Sleep apnea is worth ruling out too.
Often it is more than one thing at once. That is why the fix is usually a guard plus a change or two, instead of a single answer.
The earlier this is caught, the less there is to repair. If any of the morning signs sound familiar, book a teeth grinding treatment London Ontario visit on 519-472-4460. It starts with a look at the wear on your teeth and a few questions about your sleep.
