You’re Grinding Your Teeth Away (And Probably Don’t Even Know It)

You're Grinding Your Teeth Away (And Probably Don't Even Know It)

17 Feb 2026

Here’s a surprising stat: one in four people grind their teeth during the day. Most don’t realise until there’s already damage. At Sale dental , we’re spotting this earlier than ever before.

The good news? Catching it early changes everything.

Why It Matters More Than You Think

Your jaw is surprisingly powerful. When you grind your teeth, you can generate up to 250 pounds of pressure per square inch.

At night, you might be grinding with even more force than your strongest conscious bite.

The tricky bit? It doesn’t hurt at first. By the time you notice sensitivity, your teeth might already show wear, and that can affect how you smile in photos, enjoy meals, or feel when you speak.

Catching It Early (Really Early)

At Sale Dental Spa, we use state of the art digital scanning technology that spots wear patterns in under two minutes. What used to take over two hours manually, and often missed early signs, now happens in a quick scan.

This tech spots what we can’t see with the naked eye: early wear, tiny fractures, and thinning enamel before they become problems.

What Happens If You Don’t Address It?

Ignoring teeth grinding now can lead to serious problems down the line.

Without early intervention, you might eventually need:

• Crowns or veneers to restore worn-down teeth
• Root canal treatment if cracks reach the nerve
• Extensive reconstruction to rebuild lost tooth structure
• Treatment for jaw joint problems (TMJ disorders) causing pain and limited movement

These treatments are more invasive, time-consuming, and costly than simple prevention. At our cosmetic dental practice in Sale, we focus on catching grinding early so you can often avoid these procedures entirely.

How to Stop Grinding Your Teeth

The good news? There are practical ways to reduce or stop grinding:

Stress management: Since stress is a major trigger, techniques like mindfulness, exercise, or therapy can make a real difference.

Sleep hygiene: Better sleep habits, reducing caffeine and alcohol, especially before bed, can help reduce nighttime grinding.

Awareness training: Simply being conscious of grinding during the day helps many people catch and stop themselves.

How Your Dentist Can Help

We offer several protective options depending on your situation:

Custom night guards: A precisely fitted appliance from your Sale dentist that protects your teeth whilst you sleep. Far more comfortable and effective than shop-bought options.

Deprogrammer appliances: Specialised devices that help retrain your jaw muscles and reduce grinding intensity.

Botox treatment: In some cases, our cosmetic dentistry team can use targeted injections to relax overactive jaw muscles and significantly reduce grinding.

We’ll assess which approach makes sense for you based on the severity of your grinding and your individual needs.

It’s Not Just About Your Teeth

We don’t just think about the mechanical side of teeth grinding.

Worn or sensitive teeth can change how you act: covering your mouth when you laugh, avoiding certain foods around others, skipping photos, holding back in conversations.

Fixing the physical issue, whether with a protective guard, restorative work, or other treatments, often helps you feel more like yourself again.

Do You Actually Need Treatment?

Not everyone who grinds their teeth needs intervention. Sometimes, managing stress and staying aware helps.

We look at the full picture: how much damage exists, how it’s affecting you, what treatment options make sense, and whether we can genuinely help.

If treatment is right for you, we’ll recommend it. If it’s not, we’ll tell you that too.

It’s about helping when it makes a real difference, not just doing procedures.

Noticed tooth wear or sensitivity? Or find yourself hiding your smile? Book a free consultation or dental check up at Sale dental. Let’s have a look and see if we can help.

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