3 Common Reasons You Unconsciously Bite Your Tongue at Night

Have you ever woken up to a painful tongue because apparently, you have involuntarily bitten it while sleeping? Ask many different dentists, and they would tell you the same: it is a normal habit observed in some people. However, just because it is normal does not mean that it is healthy.

Here are some of the common reasons that people bite their tongue in their sleep, and suggestions to help you resolve the problem!

Why You Bite Your Tongue at Night

Again, the biting of the tongue happens involuntarily to most people, and they occur for different reasons. Here are some of the most common ones:

Night Seizures

Night or nocturnal seizures can cause people to bite their tongues. Nighttime tongue biting could be a sign of undiagnosed or untreated epilepsy. When a person experiences this, they could also:

• Wake up at an unusual time at night without any reason
• Urinate as they sleep 
• Shake their body as they sleep
• Waking up with unexplained injuries
• Fatigue doe to inadequate sleep

Rhythmic Movement Disorder

This kind of condition is often observed in children. Kids with this disorder find themselves banging their heads and rocking their bodies as they sleep. Usually, these actions take place before bedtime or in the early stages of sleep. Because they have no control over their bodies during the attacks, they end up biting their tongue in the process. This condition is considered benign, but can cause injury and sleep disturbance.

Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is where a person asleep does not know that they are clenching their jaws at night and rubbing their upper and lower teeth aggressively. This habit is harmful to the teeth and jaw. At the same time, it also could potentially damage the tongue since it can get caught in between the teeth during the grinding process.

Malocclusion

Signs That You Have Biting Your Tongue While Sleeping

Since the tongue biting happens at night while the patient is unconscious, they would not always know that they are making the habit unless someone else points it out. However, some symptoms could help them assess themselves. If you have experienced any of these upon waking up, you might want to get yourself checked for tongue-biting tendencies. 

• You wake up to a bleeding tongue
• If not bleeding, the tongue is either swelling or red
• There are marks or grazes on your tongue
• The edges of your tongue look raw and scalloped
• There is an ulcer on your tongue
• Your tongue is painful

Sleep in Peace

As soon as you realize that you are biting your tongue at night, make sure to visit your dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist can help you determine the cause behind your tongue-biting activity and determine the best treatment for you. Usually, they would recommend you use a mouthguard to protect your teeth from grinding on each other. While doing that, your tongue is also protected.

If you have no dentist yet and are looking for an affordable dentist in Edmonton, you’re in the right place. Edmonton Smiles is focused on providing quality, comfort, and affordability with exceptional dentistry services for our patients. Contact us today to learn about our services.