Why Your Jaw Aches in the Morning
If you wake up with a sore jaw, a dull headache at your temples, or teeth that feel slightly loose, there’s a good chance you’re clenching or grinding in your sleep. Dentists call it bruxism, and we see signs of it in roughly one in three adults who come in.
How we can tell
Most people who grind have no idea they do it. In the chair, the clues are hard to miss:
- Flat, shiny spots on the tips of the canines and the chewing surfaces of molars
- Small notches at the gumline, where enamel has flexed and chipped away
- Scalloped edges along the sides of the tongue
- Tight, tender chewing muscles when we press just in front of the ears
Why it happens
Stress is the usual suspect, and it is a real factor. But grinding is also linked to caffeine late in the day, alcohol close to bedtime, some antidepressants, and sleep-disordered breathing. If you snore or wake up unrefreshed, mention it; grinding is sometimes the body’s way of keeping the airway open.
What a night guard does (and doesn’t do)
A custom night guard won’t stop you from clenching, but it moves the force onto a replaceable piece of hard acrylic instead of your enamel. Most patients also notice that their jaw muscles relax within a few weeks.
Drugstore boil-and-bite guards are soft and thick. Some people chew on them, which can make muscle soreness worse. A custom guard is thin, hard, and shaped to your bite so your jaw can rest in a neutral position. You can read more about how we make ours on our night guard page.
Things to try tonight
- Stop caffeine by early afternoon.
- Notice your jaw during the day. Teeth should be apart, lips together, tongue resting on the roof of your mouth.
- Put a warm washcloth on your jaw muscles for ten minutes before bed.
If the soreness lasts more than a couple of weeks, or your jaw clicks or locks, come see us.