What to Do If You Suspect You Have a Teeth Grinding Problem
Posted on: 21 August 2015
Tooth grinding is a common dental problem that can cause pain in your jaw and neck, as well as cause headaches. It can also wear down your teeth and make them more susceptible to decay. This problem isn't always easy to detect unless you catch yourself doing it, but if you find yourself with painful symptoms and believe you may experience this problem while you sleep, there are some things you can do to try to ease the symptoms and stop the problem.
Personal Habits You Can Change
The amount of sleep you get and your diet can have a major impact on your proclivity to clench your teeth at night. If you don't get very much sleep, or if your sleep schedule is erratic, this can contribute to jaw tension during sleep. Try to get a good night's sleep every night on a stable schedule.
In addition, watch how much alcohol and caffeine you drink. Alcohol increases the likelihood of jaw clenching, and caffeine can make you feel jumpy and tense, so try to cut back on how much you drink. At the very least, avoid drinking anything caffeinated within a few hours before you go to bed. Caffeine can also keep you awake, which plays into sleep deprivation.
Training Yourself To Avoid Tooth Grinding
There is no sudden cure for tooth grinding, especially if it's a habit of stress, but you can do a few things to help break the habit if you notice yourself doing it throughout the day.
- Ask your dentist about the possibility of cognitive behavioral therapy and if he can recommend anyone for you.
- Remind yourself throughout the day to relax your jaw. You don't have to open your mouth -- though this can help -- but let your jaw rest so that your teeth aren't touching. Take about ten minutes to focus on keeping your jaw relaxed.
- Rest your tongue between your teeth. While doing this, you become much more conscious of what you're doing with your teeth, and it may help stop unconscious impulses to grind your teeth.
Get Fitted for a Mouthguard
A mouthguard doesn't cure jaw tension, but it can stop your teeth from grinding together during the night. You can buy generic mouthguards at many pharmacies, but it's worth the extra cost to get one custom fitted. A custom-fitted mouthguard will help you avoid any side effects from an ill-fitting guard, and you can get input from your dentist on how to use it when you go in for a fitting.
Get a Massage
A massage of your jaw muscles, face and neck can do wonders for jaw tension and pain, and it can also lessen the frequency of teeth grinding as well. Ask your dentist about who can do this for you, or if you can do it yourself. You can also ask him about whether you may need physical therapy to help stop the problem.
Reduce Your Bedtime Stress Levels
Much muscle tension is caused by stress, and though you can't magically wish your stress away, you can change your pre-bedtime habits to make you more relaxed before you fall asleep.
Start by turning off your computers and electronics an hour or so before bed rather than staying on them right up until you fall asleep. The lights from your screens can keep you awake and disrupt your sleeping patterns. It's also more relaxing to focus on something like a book or even meditation rather than texts and email.
Try to keep your room cool, and consider playing something like white noise or ASMR videos to help you relax and sleep.
Finally, before you get into bed, hold a washcloth damp with warm water against your cheeks in front of your earlobes. The heat will help relax your jaw muscles before you sleep. For more assistance, talk to a dentist like Denise McGrade DDS.
Share