It sounds like you grind your teeth. Grinding is also referred to as bruxism. Severe grinding can lead to tooth cracking and fracturing. To help reduce the risk of this type of trauma, wearing a nightguard is very helpful. There are over-the-counter (OTC) nightguards and also those prescribed by dentist. THe ones prescribed by dentist are custom made for a secure fit around each tooth. Custom made nightguards can also help maintain the position or alignment of your teeth if used regularly. These nightguards also tend to be more durable than the OTC ones. The biggest disadvantage, which is usually the most important factor to the patient, is the cost of the custom made nightguards obtained from the dentist. They are much more costly than the over the counter type. Nevertheless, you should try using either type of nightguard to help protect your teeth. Stress reduction methods should also be a consideration since stress tends to be one of the most common reasons why we grind our teeth.

I have also had the unfortunate experience of brittle teeth and though I have been known to grind at night, I have already been given a nightguard. However, I've just had another tooth chipped. The first required me to get a root canal and I chipped it eating a rice cake. The second is hopefully not so bad (just happened today) and I've only eaten wontons so far. Any idea what might be causing my teeth to be so brittle and what I can do to strengthen them so that this won't ever happen again?