Can Grinding Your Teeth Cause Toothache
Can grinding your teeth cause toothache? How does this work, and what can you do to fix it? Read this article to find out what you need to know.
Toothaches can cause all kinds of issues, from sinusitis and earaches and extreme pain that might feel debilitating. However, there can be several causes, and the underlying reason might not be apparent – especially if it happens in your sleep at night. For many of us, we might wake up with a tight and painful jaw due to straining it in our sleep, but can grinding your teeth cause toothache?
Here at Didsbury Dental Practice, we offer emergency dentists in Manchester, and can help with a wide variety of dentistry. From dentures to Invisalign, we want to give you the confidence to smile how you used to.
Why Do Some People Grind Their Teeth?
To answer the question ‘can grinding your teeth cause toothache’, we need to understand what happens when we grind our teeth, and why. Many people who grind their teeth will either do it subconsciously or unconsciously – meaning that they are barely aware of it, if at all.
Many people will do this when they are stressed or upset, and while there is no damage from doing this occasionally, frequently engaging in this behaviour and doing it for prolonged periods of time can result in unpleasant symptoms that manifest in your jaws and teeth.
Our bodies naturally tense up when we are anxious or tense, and this includes our jaws, too. However, this behaviour can also be due to bite misalignment. When you have crooked or missing teeth, as well as TMJ (temporomandibular joint issues) or sleep apnoea, jaw clenching and teeth grinding can also develop.
Can Grinding Your Teeth Cause Toothache
Yes, grinding teeth and clenching your jaw can cause toothache, and this is called bruxism. There are a number of signs to look out for, but it’s important to nip this habit in the bud, as it can cause unpleasant issues the longer you do it.
Signs that you grind your teeth:
- Lock jaw
- Teeth that appear to be worn down or eroded
- Teeth that appear to be flattened and not as sharp as they once were
- Teeth feel loose
- Waking with clenched fists due to anxiety or stress
- A tight face when you wake up
- Pain and/or damage from biting the inside of your cheeks
- Neck, face, or jaw pain
- Pain that resembles an earache when there is nothing wrong with your ears
- Regularly waking up with a headache
How Does This Cause Toothache?
The primary reason that grinding your teeth causes a toothache is due to the fact that doing this puts stress and pressure on the jaw and teeth. This will result in aches and pains from the neck all the way up to the jaw.
Not only that, but grinding your teeth will cause damage to the teeth themselves. The primary damage happens to the enamel as it gets worn down, and the dentin beneath gets exposed to cause extreme sensitivity. Others can be due to tooth fractures as a result of the extreme pressure or by altering your bite as the teeth are worn down.
How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth
In most cases, a dentist will be able to diagnose bruxism some time before a patient starts to experience the symptoms, as there are warning signs. However, this can only happen when you regularly go to the dentist and stay on top of your check-ups.
You will need to make an appointment with your dentist if you suspect that you suffer from bruxism, and they may recommend one or more treatment options to help you. This can include trying relaxation treatments to using dental splits or mouth guards while you sleep. In some cases where bruxism is a result of bite issues, further treatment will be required.
Other Common Causes of Toothaches
Toothaches are relatively common, and while many will resolve themselves in a few ways, not all toothaches will go away on their own. Below, we will look at some common causes of toothaches, and hopefully you will be able to identify one or more that seems to fit with your personal circumstances.
There are a number of common causes of toothaches that you might not be aware of, with bruxism (clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth) being one of the most widespread. Below, we will look at some other common causes of toothaches:
- Abscesses – abscesses form when all or some of the tooth pulp (soft inner part of the tooth) dies to create a pocket where bacteria grow. The bacteria will transform into a painful abscess. Injuries that cause a cracked tooth can also result in abscesses.
- Tooth decay – the most common cause of toothaches and the result of poor oral hygiene that leads to the enamel of the tooth being worn away by bacteria. An excess of bacteria will form plaque, which will read to the decay and create white, brown, or black spots on the teeth.
- Tooth eruption – this means that a new tooth is coming through. The primary tooth eruption that will cause pain are the wisdom teeth, which can grow in the wrong direction or cause the mouth to become too crowded. It is common for wisdom teeth to be removed in a minor surgical operation.
- Bad or damaged fillings – fillings will wear down and become damaged due to normal wear and tear. When this happens, the filling will need to be fixed or replaced, which is a very common procedure and nothing you need to stress about – just make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.
How to Relieve Pain from Grinding Your Teeth
Finding ways to relieve the pain from a toothache can make all the difference. Whether you have been getting a toothache for hours or days, no one should have to deal with the constant pain and pressure that comes with it.
Below are some options you can try to relieve pain from grinding your teeth. Please note that not all solutions might work well for you, so you may need to try different options to see which one is best for you and your particular issue:
- Clove oil – thanks to the eugenol in cloves, the affected areas can be numbed by applying some of this oil to the parts of your mouth being affected by a toothache. You can use a cotton ball to apply the oil, or mix the clove with a carrier oil (e.g. coconut oil).
- Painkillers – painkiller options such as Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, or Bonjela are all very effective in helping to relieve pain from toothache, no matter the cause. However, please be mindful of the dosage if you choose to use this route, and be careful not to go over it.
- Vanilla extract – due to the alcohol in vanilla extract, the pain of a toothache can be numbed. Additionally, real vanilla contains antioxidant properties that can help with healing.
- Cold compress – this is particularly effective if there has been trauma (e.g. a facial injury) that has resulted in the toothache. Blood vessels constrict and the pain is reduced. Only place a cold compress on the area in 20-minute increments for a few hours.
- Peppermint tea bags – used to help soothe sensitive gums and numb, peppermint tea bags should be heated, then allowed to cool slightly, and placed on the affected area. You could also freeze the tea bag for a few minutes to get the cold compress effect.
Not all toothaches will go away on their own, and using heat for a toothache is not always recommended unless you know the underlying cause. In cases of toothache from braces, heat will not be a good option, but it will work well in cases of bruxism.
Final Thoughts
At Didsbury Dental Clinic, we can answer your burning questions, like if a toothache can count as an emergency, or if stress can cause toothaches. You might want to know if you can go to A&E with a toothache, or if a cold can cause a toothache.
So, can grinding your teeth cause toothache? Teeth grinding can cause toothache over time, but there are many other signs to look out for, as well. If you think that this is an issue you are dealing with, we encourage you to get in touch with your dentist and make an appointment so that you can find a solution as soon as possible.
