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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[grumpybob]

on 9/15/2009 I have found the hard guards completely unusable. My dentist had molds taken for both my uppers and lowers, but only delivered an upper guard. The plastic edge ends up by my tongue and is both a terrible distraction and uncomfortable. Try the off-the-shelf guards from your pharmacy first and save some dollars. If you find these difficult, I don't the the expense dentist solution will solve your problem either.

[tomandjami]

on 8/1/2009 oh i have done this forever nothing seems to work it drives me crazy but your article has covered everything that would help a normal person :) Great job

[kipu]

on 7/21/2009 I have gone thru many guards for a few yeas now. I realized that the hard guards were damaging my teeth further with the friction of the hard plastic against my teeth. I am back back to wearing the soft rubber one, which is not as durable or comfortable, but it does not wear down my teeth.

[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.