You may have asked how to stop teeth grinding in your sleep. On the other hand, you may not even be aware there is such a thing. Grinding teeth in your sleep is a condition known as Bruxism, and it can be extremely damaging to your teeth. What's more is many people often don't even realize they have this problem, especially if they happen to live alone.

Have you ever woken with a sore jaw or spasms in the back of your jaw? Do your gums or teeth sometimes hurt for no apparent reason? It could be that you have an issue with grinding your teeth in your sleep. So, again the question is:

How can I stop teeth grinding in my sleep?

Let's explore the condition of bruxism a little first. It is one of the most common sleep disorders, and, according to Wikipedia, bruxism is a parafunctional activity that does occur in many people at some point. It is usually not a health problem for most, but for those who do show chronic signs of this disorder there can be devastating tooth damage and other conditions can result. If allowed to continue eventually teeth grinding from bruxism will shorten and blunt the affected teeth and lead to pain in the facial muscles. TMJ and headaches are the most readily apparent symptoms, especially if the headaches are most common in the morning or after a nap.

Besides the evidence of obvious damage from teeth grinding, the most reliable way to diagnose bruxism is through EMG or electromyographic measurements taken during sleep. Some patients may participate in sleep labs, or there are EMG units which can be worn at home. The most popular of these go under the names SleepGuard and BiteStrip.

Treatment methods including mouthguards, splints and biofeedback devices are all effective as well as making some lifestyle and consumption changes.

So, here are some changes you can make to stop teeth grinding in your sleep:

• Cut back on your caffeine intake
• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption as this can intensify the episodes of teeth grinding.
• Break the habit of chewing on writing implements and limit or discontinue gum chewing as this trains the jaw muscles to clench, which is another cause of bruxism.
• Drink plenty of hydrating fluids as dehydration can be linked to cases of bruxism
• Try to eliminate stress from your life
• If you find yourself clenching your jaws during waking hours, develop the habit of putting your tongue between your teeth to break the bad habit of clenching.

One of the simplest methods of treatment for the home is to purchase a mouthguard to be worn during sleep. This has the obvious use of stopping the damage and stopping teeth grinding with a physical barrier between the teeth.

If you already have severe damage to your teeth you should see a dentist to decide what options are available for repairing your teeth. Usually this involves crowns or other reconstructive methods. You don't have to live with a teeth grinding problem. Change your habits, purchase a mouth guard, and get something done about it now!