How to Stop Grinding Teeth at Night

Twenty percent of all adults grind their teeth at night. Grinding (bruxism) can be caused by stress or an unconscious attempt to smooth out a poor bite. It wears down and may fracture teeth, and it can lead to gum and jaw problems. Here's how you can prevent the inevitable permanent tooth damage.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubber mouthpiece
• Stress Relief Products
• Relaxing CDs
• Relaxation Tapes
• Relaxation Videos

1. Make an appointment with your dentist, who will make a custom mouthpiece for you to wear at night. This will prevent further damage to your teeth and may reduce your tendency to grind.

2. Ask your dentist to file down your "high spots," which are any teeth that interfere with a comfortable, aligned bite.

3. Hold a warm, damp cloth next to your face for 10 minutes before you go to bed to help calm your jaw muscles.

4. Relax before bedtime by meditating, taking a hot bath or stretching.

5. Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption.

6. Learn to reduce stress. Take stress management classes and learn relaxation techniques.

Tips & Warnings

• Researchers are investigating the use of periodic injections of botulinum toxin (BTX) to treat severe teeth grinding. Ask your dentist for more information if you're interested.
• If you wake up with headaches, ear pain, pain in your jaw or if your teeth look misaligned, call your dentist.
• If symptoms persist or if you have specific medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you contact a physician.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[msnulengths]

on 4/11/2009 A nightguard is very effective in people who suffer from bruxism. I have seen so many people grind their teeth down to nothing and this is the real issue. Good article.

[sherryeam]

on 3/21/2009 Good article. I worked really hard at relaxing and letting go problems. It was hard because I was under some horrible stress at the time. But it worked, I don't grind even close to as bad as I did for years.

[canudig]

on 3/4/2009 Problem with a mouth guard is that it treats the effects but not the causes. Wouldn't it be better to CURE your teeth grinding rather then just cover it up? A mouth guard will help prevent the wear and tear on your teeth, but it does not address the problem. Furthermore clenching your jaw like that will inevitably lead to TMJ problems (which is what I had). Sore jaw and worst of all sharp pains in my ear. A dentist will prescribe to you a custom made mouth guard because 1. its all they can do and 2. its how they make money! I actually cured my bruxism and TMJ fairly quickly from some info that I found on these 2 sites: www.preventgrindingteeth.com and also www.tmjjawpaincure.com.

[Debella1010]

on 1/2/2009 I have tried 2 of the hard mouthguards that fit on the 4 front teeth - top and bottom, and the soft type. My reviews 1) Top hard type on front teeth. Bad experience - I clenched on my front teeth so hard that I damaged a lower tooth that had had a root canal years ago. I went back to the dentist and she fitted me with a version of this for the lower front teeth. I really felt like it was going to be a matter of time before I cracked my top teeth. She claimed my teeth would just slip off. My front teeth were aching from clenching on this. Before I could make a decision - use it or cut my losses, someone threw it away -it was on the sink in the bathroom - they didn't see it or know what it was - $300 in the trash. I went back to the Splintek soft type. Yes - I chew through these eventually. They don't stop TMJ, but they save me from wearing down my teeth. As for TMJ - don't chew gum

[Debella1010]

on 1/2/2009 I have tried 2 of the hard mouthguards that fit on the 4 front teeth - top and bottom, and the soft type. My reviews 1) Top hard type on front teeth. Bad experience - I clenched on my front teeth so hard that I damaged a lower tooth that had had a root canal years ago. I went back to the dentist and she fitted me with a version of this for the lower front teeth. I really felt like it was going to be a matter of time before I cracked my top teeth. She claimed my teeth would just slip off. My front teeth were aching from clenching on this. Before I could make a decision - use it or cut my losses, someone threw it away -it was on the sink in the bathroom - they didn't see it or know what it was - $300 in the trash. I went back to the Splintek soft type. Yes - I chew through these eventually. They don't stop TMJ, but they save me from wearing down my teeth. As for TMJ - don't chew gum