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Why Some Teeth Move While You Sleep

Posted on 10/11/2021 by Office of Dr. James A. Krippaehne

It is usual for your teeth to move slightly while you sleep. When you sleep, your jaw muscles relax, making your teeth move. Regular teeth movement should be minimal and should not cause any pain. If your teeth drifting is causing uncomfortable feelings, you could be having a dental issue that needs to be addressed. If your teeth have been sailing for a long time, you may experience painful and swollen gums. Proper dental hygiene and regular checkups can help you prevent the impacts caused by teeth movement.

Teeth Grinding

One of the reasons why your teeth move when you sleep could be bruxism. A person grinding their teeth when asleep is very common, although many people are not aware that they grind teeth while they sleep. Sleep bruxism, which is caused by brain activity, can cause damage to your dental work. Severe teeth grinding can cause your teeth to shift their position. If your teeth have shifted positions, you may experience pain in the jaws, difficulty opening your mouth in the morning, and headache. If you've been grinding your teeth for a long time, apart from them moving from their position, they can also crack. If you realize that your teeth are moving when you sleep, you can use night guards to keep them in place and avoid damages that may occur due to grinding.

Gum Diseases

Gum diseases cause your teeth to be loose. Gum diseases destroy your gum and the jaw bone that holds your teeth in place. You may not realize instantly that your teeth are shifting. However, watch out for red swollen gums. Bleeding gums are another clear sign of drifting teeth. Drifting teeth are a significant sign of severe gum disease and show you are at risk of losing your teeth. Therefore, if you realize that your teeth are drifting, please reach out to our office for assistance.

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Dr. James Krippaehne

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833 SW 11th Ave Suite 300
Portland, OR 97205

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Dental Blog | Portland OR | West End Dental
West End Dental, 833 SW 11th Ave, Suite 300 Portland, OR 97205 • (503) 446-2957 • west-end-dental.com • 9/28/2024 • Page Terms:dentist Downtown Portland •