It’s Dr. Richard Goodfellow.

COVID still continues. There is a light at the end of the tunnel but please be careful. The rescue ships are coming so keep treading water and don’t do anything silly. I know this is a challenge so I’m going to talk to you about being uptight.

People clenching and grinding their teeth during the day is a result of tension. This could be due to traffic, kids, COVID and all sorts of things someone experiences during the day.

If you find yourself clenching your teeth during the night while sleeping… that is something else because you are asleep and unconscious.

That is usually an airway issue and a sleep/breathing issue. This often leads to morning time headaches or jaw tightening or waking up with the jaw locking or even neck and back issues in the morning.

Please be aware of the difference between these two situations.

Consult your dentist or doctor.

Be careful to recognize the difference between waking up with a headache versus having a headache at 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

It could be tension but it is a different kind of tension.

Be careful and be safe.

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