Good sleep is very important in order to stay healthy. If you have some problems during sleep, you will wake up tired.
There are so many factors that may interrupt your sleep. One of them is biting your tongue during the night, which may happen once in a while or every night. People bite their tongue while speaking, eating and sleeping. It is a common problem of many people, so you don’t have to worry if it also happens to you. Tongue biting in sleep may start at childhood, but also at teenage or adult stages of life.
In this article you will find out why this might happen and what should you do about it. We will discuss the causes of biting tongue in sleep and we will also tell you how to treat this problem. If you also have some pain on your tongue every morning, this article will be very useful for you. So, let’s start.
Causes
Seizures At Night. One of the most common causes of biting tongue during the night are seizures. If you have seizures while you are sleeping, your movements will be uncontrollable and unpredictable, which can cause you to bite your tongue. Seizures that happen at night are usually diagnosed by watching the brainwaves during sleep.
Teeth Grinding. As you probably know, teeth grinding is not something unusual. It is actually a very common disorder that happens overnight. This occurrence sounds like grinding or grating and it actually presents chewing during the night. Teeth grinding is one of the most common causes of biting tongue while sleeping.
Rhythmic Movement Disorder. You may bite your tongue if you have disorders that cause your body to move suddenly during sleep. It is also possible that some people injure their tongue with these sudden and uncontrollable movements. They might find blood on their pillow in the morning. Rhythmic movement disorders are usually associated with children and they usually disappear when a child grows older.
Braces. Braces are sometimes uncomfortable and they can also cause you to bite your tongue in sleep. Some people need to use elastics at night in order to set their jaw into position.
Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea can cause your tongue to relax in your mouth when you are sleeping. It is possible that your tongue slips between your teeth and then you can bite it during an apneic episode. This can even happen several times during the night. You can bite your tongue in each episode of sleep apnea.
Stress. Stress is also one of the possible causes of biting your tongue during the night. Actually, stress usually causes teeth grinding in sleep, which can lead to biting the tongue. This usually happens to pregnant women who are under stress and also due to hormonal changes.
Lyme Disease. Lyme disease is known to attack the brain and the whole nervous system, which can send the wrong signals to nerves and muscles in your body. This may cause some involuntary movements while sleeping. It is also possible that you bite your tongue while you are asleep.
Big Tongue. One of the possible causes of biting tongue during the night is also a fact that your tongue is bigger than it should be.
Treatment
The best way to prevent tongue biting is to treat the cause of it. In most cases you don’t have to worry if you bite your tongue in sleep. There are also people who bite their tongue by accident and it is a common problem.
But, sometimes it may hurt and you can even find blood on your pillow, as we have already said. In most cases, the injury on your tongue will heal within a week or two and there’s no need to visit your health provider. You should know that the saliva in your mouth has natural healing properties. But, if your bleeding is severe and if it doesn’t stop, you need to seek medical help. You should check with your doctor if you may have got an infection or there is some other health issue with your tongue.
If it happens occasionally that you bite your tongue in sleep, you can simply use some home remedies that will certainly help you. You can apply ice to the area of tongue that hurts you or you can rinse your mouth with sea salt water. It is important to avoid any spicy food until your tongue is healed.
You should have in mind that sometimes a healing process of your tongue will need time. If bleeding doesn’t stop, you need to visit your doctor as soon as possible. He may prescribe you a night dental guard in order to avoid tongue biting and tooth grinding. This is a plastic mouth appliance that is made to fit your teeth. A dental guard is also called a mouth guard and it is considered the best way to prevent any damage to your tongue. There are several types of dental guards, so it is best to consult your doctor to check which type of dental guard is the best for you.
If the cause of tongue biting is some medical condition, it is necessary to be treated properly. Cognitive behavior therapy is recommended for all people who are suffering from sleep apnea and bruxism. It is necessary that your mind is relaxed before you go to bed. It can reduce the risk of biting your tongue in sleep.
Summary
As you have seen in this article, tongue biting in sleep is a common problem, so you don’t have to worry. Although biting your tongue during the night may be irritating and also painful, in most cases it is not a serious problem, especially if it happens once in a while.
Some of the most common causes of biting tongue overnight are seizures, teeth grinding, stress, sleep apnea, movement disorders or braces. You can prevent biting your tongue by using many home remedies and dental guards, but in some serious cases you will need a medical help.
