How To Stop Grinding Your Teeth At Night And During The Day Naturally
Did you know teeth grinding, commonly known as bruxism, affects around 1 in every 5 individuals? This is approximately 20% of the adult population globally. Teeth grinding can be difficult to stop. It can lead to long-term issues such as enamel loss and receding gums.
That is why it's important to identify and eliminate the behavior. In today this Article, we're discuss some tips to help you stop grinding your teeth. Will massages help you deal with teeth grinding? What about tongue and jaw exercises? We'll talk about all this AND more.
Massage
Bruxism is a condition characterized by uncontrollable tooth grinding or clenching. When you're not eating, any mashing, gnashing, clenching, or chewing activity can be called bruxism.
This condition can result in headaches, temporomandibular (tempero-man-dib-yew-ler) dysfunction, and muscle discomfort. Head and neck massages can help some patients ease muscular tension and discomfort caused by teeth grinding.
A massage or physical therapist can perform a massage, or show procedures that can be done at home to relax the jaw and surrounding muscles.
Research proves that massaging the masticatory (mast-ick-uh-tory) muscles can relieve the pain caused by bruxism. Have you ever tried a massage for teeth grinding? Sound off in the comment section.
Exercises For The tongue And Jaw Muscles
Teeth grinding is quite a common occurrence when sleeping. This is known as sleep bruxism. Also, while you're awake, you may subconsciously grind your teeth or clench your jaw. This is referred to as awake bruxism. The condition can have several negative consequences like aches and pains in the jaw, face, and ears.
There are also damaged or broken teeth you need to worry about. According to a study, problems with chewing, speaking, and swallowing may also occur, but this is only under extreme circumstances.
Tongue and jaw exercises can help you relax your muscles while also keeping your jaw in normal alignment. You can try opening your mouth wide and placing your tongue against your front teeth.
This aids with jaw relaxation. You may also try to pronounce the letter "N" aloud. This will protect your teeth from rubbing against each other and will help you avoid clenching. These exercises work best along with light massages. You can do these exercises at home.
Getting Out Of The Habit
The goal is to stop your teeth grinding pattern. However, this procedure won't stop teeth grinding completely. It's easier to quit a habit if you're aware of it. To stop the habit of teeth grinding, practice relaxing your jaw when you notice yourself grinding or clenching.
You could, for example, open your jaw slightly, or softly insert your tongue between your upper and lower teeth. If you grind your teeth while awake, it might be beneficial to keep track of how frequently you do it each day. You can then figure out when and why you're doing it.
Are you anxious? Are you trying to focus? According to a case-based study, the habit-reversal approach was utilized to treat bruxism patients. In each case, a significant decrease in the frequency of this behavior took place after a single therapy session.
A properly qualified therapist can utilize habit-reversal techniques, or you can try them yourself using a computer program or self-help book. A general practitioner will be able to guide you better.
Anti-Stimulation
Counter stimulation, such as an electrical impulse, has been found to reduce bruxism.
This method can be performed using the lip, masseter, and temporalis muscle stimulation.
In the counter stimulation process, a small electrical pulse is sent to the skin overlying the temporalis muscle during the therapy. In one study of people with sleep bruxism, Grindcare therapy resulted in a 40 to 50% reduction in EMG episodes.
Botox
You might find it interesting that an analysis of multiple studies was performed, and researchers discovered evidence that botox injections may lessen discomfort, as well as the frequency of teeth grinding in healthy subjects.
Before you consider any botox, you first need to talk to your doctor and discuss the risks. medical practitioner will inject tiny quantities of botox straight into the masseter for this process.
This is a large muscle responsible for jaw movement. Botox will not treat bruxism, but it will help relax this muscle. This may help decrease tooth grinding and headaches. It's possible that the injections will need to be repeated. Benefits usually last for three to four months.
Taking Care Of Dental Issues
Dental appointments are essential for both oral health and overall well-being. Your dentist will evaluate your bite, tongue, gums, cheeks, jaw joints, neck, and lymph nodes, along with tooth surfaces. Frequent dental check-ups can help you to identify any issues caused by your teeth grinding.
Reconstructive dental procedures, such as fake teeth, overlays, and crowns, may typically be used to correct dental abnormalities such as misaligned, broken, crooked, or missing teeth.
These procedures can occasionally modify the chewing surface of your teeth and stop you from grinding. However, you should look into the cost of this treatment before using it.
Splints and Mouthguards
Mouthguards are a type of splint that may help bruxism. They function by cushioning your teeth and preventing them from grinding together as you sleep. Mouthguards can be custom-made or purchased over the counter at a clinic. Research states that there will be a loss in muscle tone with the use of a splint.
The flat-planed stabilizing splint, also known as a bite guard, bruxism device, biteplate, or night guard, helps you manage bruxism while sleeping. Custom-made mouthguards may help protect your teeth if you suffer from nighttime bruxism.
They may also help to relieve the tension on your jaw. Custom-made mouthguards are comparatively more expensive than over-the-counter alternatives, but they may be a better option for some people. These mouthguards are available in a variety of sizes. They're personalized to match the size and form of your jaw.
Because they're composed of softer material, they're
usually more comfortable than store-bought mouth guards. The majority of over-the-counter mouthguards are made of plastic. These aren't as comfy for some individuals as custom-made ones.
When shopping for an over-the-counter mouth guard, seek one made of soft plastic, or one that can be boiled to soften. Over-the-counter mouthguards may not be as effective as custom-made mouthguards for severe bruxism, but their cheap cost will make them appealing for people who grind their teeth on a regular basis.
Techniques For Stress Reduction
Teeth grinding may be connected to mental health disorders such as stress, depression, and anxiety in certain people. In certain circumstances, stress-reduction measures can help if you grind your teeth. Stress reduction can also improve your general health, making it a low-risk treatment.
Here are some stress-reduction approaches you can experiment with for your bruxism. Exercise Exercise relieves stress by releasing feel-good endorphins. Remember to start slowly if you're new to fitness. At the beginning, try incorporating everyday activities into your schedule.
You may also need to try out a few different activities to discover the one that helps you relax. Therapy Through Conversation Speaking with a therapist, counsellor, or trusted friend can help relieve anxiety and stress. If your stress is interfering with your everyday life, a psychiatrist may prescribe you medication.
Yoga Following yoga practice, a researcher observed improvement in mild to severe depression. Meditation Meditation may help in the reduction of stress, as well as the relief of anxiety, pain, and sadness. You can try using a meditation app or join a meditation club. It’s crucial for you to know that meditation requires practice. It may also be beneficial to use in combination with other therapies.
Coronoplasty (reduction)
A reductive coronoplasty is a dental operation that may be performed to reshape or level the biting surface of your teeth.
If your grinding is caused by crowded, misaligned, or crooked teeth, this treatment may be beneficial. A second treatment known as additive coronoplasty may be done in some cases to rebuild the teeth. You can discuss both with your dentist
Biofeedback Not sure what this is?
Biofeedback is based on the idea that bruxers can 'unlearn' their behaviour when they become conscious of their negative jaw muscle activity. This approach has been used to treat bruxism while both awake and asleep.
Patients can be trained to regulate their jaw muscle movements while awake using auditory or visual input from surface electromyography. Auditory, electrical, vibratory, and even taste stimuli can be used to provide feedback for sleep bruxism.
Talk to a dentist if you grind your teeth, or if you think teeth grinding is causing pain and other symptoms. It's critical to treat teeth grinding as soon as possible in order to avoid serious dental issues. Depending on the potential causes, you may need to see a doctor.
