Teeth grinding and snoring: how they're linked, and which guard helps

What’s going on

Sleep bruxism means grinding or clenching your teeth while you sleep. AASM says about 8% of young and middle-aged adults do it. Its causes are unclear, but AASM lists stress, genetics, medicines and sleep-disordered breathing among the things linked to it.

Grinding and snoring can both keep a partner awake. And they often turn up in the same person. A 2026 review of eight earlier reviews found that adults with sleep apnea seem more likely to grind.

The link isn’t proven. A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies found no clear difference in grinding between people with and without apnea.

Both groups of authors called the evidence limited or low quality. The 2024 authors added that clinicians should still check people with apnea for other sleep conditions. So treat grinding as a reason to ask about your breathing, not as proof of apnea.

Signs you might grind

AASM lists these:

• Worn, chipped or damaged teeth
• Jaw muscle pain, or a jaw that’s tired or locked on waking
• Tooth pain, sore gums or headaches
• A partner who hears the grinding

For more on grinding pain, see jaw and tooth pain from grinding on our sister site.

Signs it could be sleep apnea too

Loud snoring, pauses in breathing, waking up gasping, and heavy daytime sleepiness point to apnea, not just grinding. Those need a physician and a sleep test. See snoring or sleep apnea?

Night guard vs sleep apnea appliance

They look alike, but they do different jobs.

A night guard

A standard night guard (an occlusal splint) is a single tray over your upper or lower teeth. It keeps your teeth from grinding against each other, so the guard wears instead of your enamel.

It protects your teeth. It doesn’t move your jaw, and it isn’t made to treat snoring or apnea. AASM notes some are soft plastic you mold at home, but a proper fit usually takes a dentist.

A jaw-advancing appliance

A sleep apnea appliance has two trays joined so your lower jaw is held forward. That helps keep the airway open during sleep.

A custom one Some, made by a dentist after a physician’s diagnosis, is one treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Over-the-counter jaw-advancing mouthpieces are FDA-cleared only to reduce snoring in adults, not to treat apnea.

Can a night guard make breathing worse?

In some people with sleep apnea, it may. In a 2004 pilot study, 10 people with apnea slept one night with an upper night guard and one without. Average apnea scores didn’t change significantly.

But in 5 of the 10, breathing events rose by more than half. Four moved into a worse apnea category.

Snoring time rose by 40% on the night-guard night. It was a small study, and one night each. Still, the authors said clinicians should ask about snoring and apnea before recommending a night guard.

So if you grind and also snore loudly, don’t just buy a guard. Get checked for sleep apnea first.

What helps

• A night guard, if you grind and have no signs of apnea. It protects your teeth. See custom vs over-the-counter night guards for the types.
• Less alcohol and caffeine near bedtime. AASM says cigarettes, alcohol and caffeine before sleep may increase grinding. Less alcohol Some can also help snoring.
• Stress management. AASM notes stress often drives grinding. Relaxation training, biofeedback or a counselor may help.
• Sleep apnea treatment, if you have apnea. CPAP Strong has the strongest evidence. A custom oral appliance is another option.

What a dentist or doctor can do

A dentist can check your teeth and jaw for wear, cracks and joint trouble, and fit a night guard. A dentist should also ask if you snore before making one.

If you might have apnea, a physician can order a sleep test. A lab sleep study can also show grinding, though AASM says one is rarely needed for grinding alone.

For people who have both, a jaw-advancing appliance may cover both jobs. In a small 2009 lab study of 12 people who ground their teeth, one cut grinding episodes by 39% to 47%.

A standard night guard cut them by 34%, which wasn’t statistically significant. The study lasted only a few weeks, so it can’t say what happens long term. A custom appliance for apnea still needs a physician’s diagnosis and order first.

What not to do

• Don’t buy a night guard to fix snoring. It isn’t designed for that, and in people with apnea it may make breathing worse.
• Don’t use a store-bought snoring mouthpiece to treat grinding. Snoring mouthpieces are cleared only to reduce snoring. A cleared label compared in one FDA file lists jaw or tooth pain from clenching or grinding among its exclusions.
• Don’t ignore a partner’s report. If they hear grinding and see pauses in your breathing, mention both to your physician and your dentist.
• Don’t keep wearing a guard that hurts. Jaw pain, a changed bite or a sore tooth means stop and get it checked.