How Do I Know If I Am Clenching My Teeth in My Sleep?

Most people are aware that grinding their teeth is not a great habit, but the clenching that happens during sleep is often harder to detect than the grinding itself. Many people clench without ever producing the audible grinding sound, yet the damage and symptoms are just as real. Here is how to tell whether you might be clenching your teeth while you sleep.

Why is sleep clenching hard to detect?

Unlike bruxism that involves grinding, which produces a sound a sleeping partner might notice, clenching is a static compression of the teeth. There is no movement and often no sound. The person doing it is asleep and completely unaware. The clues tend to be the symptoms left behind when you wake up, rather than anything noticed in the moment.

Signs you may be clenching in your sleep

• Jaw soreness or tightness when you first wake up. The muscles that clench the jaw are among the most powerful in the body, and holding them in a contracted position for hours during sleep leaves them fatigued and sore in the morning.

• Morning headaches, particularly in the temples. The temporalis muscle, which runs along the side of the skull, is heavily involved in clenching and can create tension headaches when overworked during sleep.

• Tooth sensitivity that has developed gradually without an obvious cause. Chronic clenching puts enormous pressure on the teeth and can cause sensitivity, particularly along the gum line where the enamel is thinner.

• Chipped or cracked teeth. A tooth that chips without any obvious trauma, or a series of small cracks noticed by your dentist, can be a sign of excessive nocturnal force.

• Wear on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Your dentist may notice that your teeth look flatter than they should, or that the enamel is worn in patterns consistent with heavy occlusal force.

• Tenderness in the cheek muscles when you press on them. The masseter muscles, located along the sides of the jaw, will often feel sore to the touch if they have been working hard overnight.

What should you do if you notice these signs?

Mention them to your dentist. A clinical exam can identify wear patterns, muscle tenderness, and other signs that point toward nighttime clenching even when the patient has no memory of it. A custom bite splint is often recommended to protect the teeth from the forces of clenching and to allow the jaw muscles to relax. In some cases, addressing contributing factors like bite imbalance or sleep-disordered breathing can also reduce clenching significantly.