Sleep bruxism, or grinding your teeth in your sleep, isn’t dangerous, but it can be damaging. Your teeth can suffer greatly from years of firm grinding, not to mention a severe case can lead to temporomandibular joint (jaw) problems (TMJ) that cause pain, clicking in the joint, and even headaches. While a dentist can help you fix many of these problems, it is best for your teeth to prevent them as much as possible in the first place. Here are a few tips for preventing grinding your teeth in your sleep.
Relax and Destress
One of the leading suspected causes of grinding your teeth, day or night, is stress. Emotional stress tends to become a physical concern if it is not managed correctly. In much the same way you find your neck or back tensing and tightening during periods of chronic stress, you may find yourself grinding your teeth. Relaxing and managing your stress can be a great help in preventing teeth grinding. Take a hot bath before bed, take up meditation, or go for a run to help reduce stress in general. If you’re dealing with a lot of stress and do not know how to handle, talking to a therapist or licensed counselor might be good for more than just your teeth.
Exercise
While exercise can help you relax and deal with stress, more specific exercises can help prevent teeth grinding in a more specific manner. While grinding your teeth can make your jaw muscles sore, experts suspect in some cases, you may be grinding your teeth because your jaw or facial muscles are sore. Colgate Oral Care Center recommends engaging in exercises for your jaw muscles throughout the day to minimize teeth grinding. If you notice that your face or jaw is in a very tight position, adjust your muscles to allow them to relax. Ask your doctor or dentist for exercises that will work best for you. This has the added bonus of being similar to behavior modification, in which you become aware of certain behaviors and make efforts to replace them with appropriate behaviors.
Talk to Your Dentist
If you suspect you’ve been grinding your teeth from time to time, or your loved ones have told you that you definitely are, check in with your dentist. Issues with the teeth and jaw, such as a misalignment called malocclusion, can result in teeth grinding. Often, this is an unconscious attempt to get your teeth into a more comfortable position. For example, if you have a spot amongst your teeth that sits higher than the rest of your mouth, you may grind your teeth from side-to-side, subconsciously trying to wear down the spot so that it is in line with the rest of your teeth.
Your dentist can help with this. It might mean wearing an occlusal splint, which covers the teeth like a mouth guard used in sports to protect them from the friction created between them. You might need further work, such as braces or surgery. Additionally, the tops of your teeth can be adjusted so that they fit together better. If you are having problems preventing teeth grinding while you sleep, talk to your dentist about the best course of action for your particular situation.
