Grinding Your Teeth at Night? The Silent Epidemic Your Partner Noticed Before You Did

Your partner has been complaining about the noise. That grinding sound while you sleep – loud enough to wake them, happening for hours. You wake up with jaw pain, but you blamed the pillow. Here's the truth: you're destroying your teeth every night.

Bruxism affects 30% of adults. Most don't know they have it until the damage shows. That's the cruel part – you're unconscious while it happens. By the time you're aware, you've lost years of enamel.

The force is staggering. Normal chewing pressure: 20-30 pounds. Grinding pressure: 250+ pounds. Hour after hour, night after night, year after year. Your teeth weren't designed for this. Neither were your jaw muscles or your joints. Something has to give.

The signs you're grinding without knowing. Morning headaches, especially around the temples. Jaw pain that fades by lunchtime. Teeth that look flatter than they used to. Chips appearing on front teeth. Sensitivity to cold appearing out of nowhere. Your teeth just "feel different." Trust those instincts.

Stress is the primary trigger. Work pressure, financial problems, relationship strain – your jaw processes it while you sleep. But it's not just stress. An uneven bite forces compensatory grinding. Sleep apnoea triggers it as your body tries to open the airway. Some medications increase clenching. Caffeine and alcohol make it worse.

Here's the damage timeline. Year one: enamel begins wearing thin, micro-cracks form. Year three: teeth visibly flatter, chips and cracks appearing, sensitivity increasing. Year five: teeth cracking, crowns needed, TMJ problems developing. Year ten: multiple teeth destroyed, major reconstruction required, chronic jaw dysfunction.

Your partner noticed before you did because grinding is loud. That sound is enamel on enamel, your hardest tissues destroying each other. People in the same house can hear it. You sleep through it while it happens.

The solution is straightforward. A custom night guard – precision-fitted to your teeth, hard enough to absorb the grinding force, comfortable enough to wear every night. It won't stop you from grinding, but it protects your teeth from the consequences. At R4,350, it's a small investment against tens of thousands in reconstruction.

Don't wait until teeth crack. Book your grinding assessment at Smilez Dental Surgery. Call us at 013 692 8249. Tell us your partner sent you – they've been waiting for you to take action.