Cleveland Clinic lists six symptoms of teeth grinding, and not one of them is a complaint about the teeth. Mayo Clinic says a mouth guard protects those teeth but may not stop the grinding.

Ageless Coach Editorial Team · September 2, 2026

In 30 Seconds

Six symptoms, none of them dental. Cleveland Clinic lists headaches or facial pain especially in the morning, earaches, sore jaw muscles, ringing in the ears, pain when eating, and difficulty opening and closing your mouth. Cleveland Clinic

A guard protects, it does not stop. Mayo Clinic says splints and mouth guards are suggested to prevent or correct wear to your teeth, though they may not stop bruxism itself. Mayo Clinic

Six cups of coffee doubles the odds. Cleveland Clinic says people who smoke, drink alcohol and consume more than six cups of coffee a day are twice as likely to grind their teeth as people who do not. Cleveland Clinic

Six symptoms point at teeth grinding, and a mouth guard treats only the damage the grinding causes.

Bruxism is clenching, grinding or gnashing your teeth. Most people do it without knowing. Sleep bruxism does the most harm, because it happens at the one time you cannot notice it or stop it.

Below are the six symptoms, the reason a guard is only half an answer, and the risk factors you can actually change tonight.

The Symptoms · 6

Six signs that show up before your dentist does

Cleveland Clinic lists six symptoms of frequent teeth grinding. Read them once and the pattern is obvious.

Not one of the six is a complaint about the teeth, which is why most people take them to the wrong place.

Headaches or facial pain, especially in the morning. Mayo Clinic locates it precisely: a dull headache starting at your temples, the sides of your head between your forehead and your ears.
Earaches. Pain that feels like an earache, though Mayo Clinic notes it is not really a problem with your ear. The jaw joint sits directly in front of it.
Sore jaw muscles. Mayo Clinic adds tired or tight jaw muscles. It also names a jaw that will not open or close all the way, and jaw muscles that are larger than expected.
Ringing in your ears. Cleveland Clinic lists tinnitus among the symptoms, and again among the conditions that long term grinding can lead to.
Pain when eating. Chewing loads the same muscles and the same joint that spent the night working.
Difficulty opening and closing your mouth. Mayo Clinic says the jaw may pop and click. Left untreated, Cleveland Clinic says grinding can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder.

Cleveland Clinic lists six symptoms of bruxism, and not one of them is a complaint about the teeth themselves.

Source: Cleveland Clinic

Mayo Clinic's own symptom list supplies the dental half. Teeth that are flattened, fractured, chipped or loose. Worn enamel that exposes the inner layers. Tooth pain or sensitivity.

Those arrive later. The six above arrive first.

The Verdict

A mouth guard saves the teeth, not the habit

Mayo Clinic writes it into the treatment section without hedging. A dentist may suggest splints and mouth guards to prevent or correct the wear to your teeth, though they may not stop bruxism.

The guard keeps the top and bottom teeth apart during sleep. That stops the damage. The clenching carries on underneath it.

A woman covering her ears in bed while the man beside her sleeps with his mouth open — Mayo Clinic says the grinding sound can disrupt a bed partner's sleep, and that a partner is often the first to notice sleep bruxism.

What does address the habit sits in a different list. Mayo Clinic names stress and anxiety management, behavior change during waking hours, and jaw relaxation exercises or biofeedback.

Cleveland Clinic reaches the same place from the other side. If grinding follows caffeine or alcohol, reducing your daily intake helps, and quitting smoking helps both the grinding and the quality of your sleep.

Splints and guards may not stop bruxism.

Mayo Clinic

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What Moves It

The risk factors you can change, and the ones you cannot

Cleveland Clinic says bruxism has no single specific cause, only contributing risk factors, and lists four of them.

Stress and anxiety come first. Depression and generalized anxiety disorder both make grinding more likely.

A dental clinician in a mask adjusting an overhead light in a treatment room — Mayo Clinic says dental exams are the best way to find out if you have bruxism, because a dentist spots the wear before you spot the cause.

Cleveland Clinic says people who smoke, drink alcohol and consume a lot of caffeine, more than six cups of coffee a day, are twice as likely to grind their teeth.

Source: Cleveland Clinic

The other three are certain medications, sleep apnea, and lifestyle habits. The medication class Cleveland Clinic names is the anti anxiety drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Mayo Clinic adds one you cannot change. Sleep bruxism tends to occur in families, so if you have it, other members of your family may have it or a history of it.

✗

Sorted

Three things people believe about grinding

Three ideas keep people in the wrong treatment, and each one has a published answer.

You would know if you did it. Not if you do it asleep. Mayo Clinic says some people do not know they have sleep bruxism until they have tooth or jaw problems because of it, and that a partner or family member may be the one who hears it.

It is a childhood problem you outgrow. Often, but not always. Mayo Clinic says bruxism is common in young children and usually goes away by adulthood. Cleveland Clinic says children often outgrow it by adolescence. Adults still grinding are the ones a guard is for.

There is a pill for it. Not really. Mayo Clinic says medicines are in general not very effective for treating bruxism and that more research is needed. Muscle relaxants and botulinum toxin injections exist for severe cases, and both are short term measures.

📋Your Coach's Recommendations

Ask your partner, then ask your dentist.

Mayo Clinic says to ask your sleep partner whether you make grinding or clicking sounds while sleeping, and to report it. Dental exams are the best way to find out, because a dentist spots the wear before you spot the cause.

Cut the evening caffeine and alcohol.

Cleveland Clinic says more than six cups of coffee a day doubles the odds. Mayo Clinic says not to drink caffeinated coffee or tea after dinner and not to drink alcohol during the evening, because both worsen clenching and grinding.

Treat the stress, not just the teeth.

A guard protects enamel. Mayo Clinic says stress and anxiety management, behavior change and jaw relaxation exercises are what may lessen or get rid of the grinding itself, and names meditation, yoga and exercise as the practical options.

To your health,

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Trusted Sources Behind This Article

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic Treatment Cleveland Clinic

This article is education, not medical advice. Mayo Clinic says to see your dentist or another healthcare professional if you have symptoms that could be caused by grinding or clenching your teeth, or if you have other concerns about your teeth or jaws.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?

Ask someone, then ask your dentist. Mayo Clinic says to ask your sleep partner whether you make grinding or clicking sounds while sleeping, and says regular dental exams are the best way to find out, because a dentist can spot the signs in your mouth and jaws.

Will a mouth guard stop my teeth grinding?

It protects the teeth rather than stopping the habit. Mayo Clinic says splints and guards keep the top and bottom teeth separated while sleeping and stop the damage caused by clenching and grinding, though they may not stop bruxism itself.

Why do I wake up with a headache?

Mayo Clinic describes it as a dull headache starting at your temples, the sides of your head between your forehead and ears. Cleveland Clinic lists headaches or facial pain, especially in the morning, as the first symptom of bruxism.

Can my coffee habit be making it worse?

Cleveland Clinic says people who smoke, drink alcohol and consume more than six cups of coffee a day are twice as likely to grind their teeth. Mayo Clinic says to avoid caffeinated drinks after dinner and alcohol during the evening.

Is teeth grinding linked to sleep apnea?

Cleveland Clinic says research has confirmed a correlation, meaning many people have both, but that it is unclear which causes which. Mayo Clinic says treating a sleep related disorder such as sleep apnea may help sleep bruxism get better.

Do I need treatment if it only happens sometimes?

Probably not. Cleveland Clinic says people with mild or occasional bruxism likely do not need formal treatment, and Mayo Clinic says many adults do not grind or clench badly enough to need it. Tell a provider if symptoms do not go away.

Wondering where you stand overall? Take the free 5-minute Healthspan Snapshot and see your strongest and weakest of six dimensions.

Teeth Grinding: 6 Signs to Check For, and Why a Mouth Guard Does Not Stop It

Six signs that show up before your dentist does

A mouth guard saves the teeth, not the habit

Take the six signs with you

Enter your email to unlock your plan

Your plan is ready

The risk factors you can change, and the ones you cannot

Three things people believe about grinding

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Coach's Plan

Teeth Grinding: 6 Signs to Check For, and Why a Mouth Guard Does Not Stop It

Six signs that show up before your dentist does

A mouth guard saves the teeth, not the habit

Take the six signs with you

Enter your email to unlock your plan

Your plan is ready

The risk factors you can change, and the ones you cannot

Three things people believe about grinding

Frequently Asked Questions

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