The simple measure of using a mouth guard could help protect people who grind their teeth from needing root canal treatment and other emergency dentistry.
Dr Joe Pelerin from Michigan said that stress is responsible for much of the night-time grinding his patients experience.
However, this can cause damage to teeth, receding gums and root canals, as well as migraines.
He recommended using a mouth guard such as GrindGuardN – which releases the stimulus for clenching teeth – to reduce grinding activity by up to 70 per cent.
Dr Pelerin said even such a simple measure can change lives "in dramatic ways".
The Bruxism Association – which provides information for people who grind their teeth at night – can also offer advice on mouth guards that are approved by the British Dental Health Foundation.
This could help to avoid emergency dentistry in the long term and reduce the likelihood of people needing root canal treatment.
