Mouth Guards for Teeth Grinding
I am a teeth clencher. I don’t actually grind my teeth together to the point they make that nails-on-chalkboard noise, but I do sometimes clench them until I get a headache. I am absolutely positive that it’s stress-related, because it’s always worse when I’ve got a lot going on. And before you suggest simply stopping the act itself – I would, if I was aware of it. But I’m not, so I can’t. I only become aware of it when the headaches start and then I realize my teeth feel like they’ve been nailed shut. Others do grind their teeth together and make that awful, awful sound (just ask their spouses who have to listen to it at night!) and I’m thankful that I’m not one of them, but all of us bruxers need to take care of our teeth to ensure that we don’t damage them with this very annoying habit.
Symptoms of Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
Since many people are unaware of their bruxism, let me point out a few symptoms: TMJ pain, migraines, unusual wear patterns on the teeth themselves and even possible damage of teeth and gums. There are actually loads more symptoms, but these are the most obvious.
Treatment of Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
This isn’t like going to dentist and filling a cavity. You don’t just get this kind of thing fixed in one go. There are biofeedback devices which classically condition the body every time bruxing occurs, but I personally would not want to shock myself – even mildly – every time I clenched my teeth. I’m just not a shock treatment kind of girl, and neither are most of you. Fortunately, there’s a very simple alternative.
Mouth Guards for Teeth Grinding
You can go to the dentist and get a custom made dental guard which will keep you from bruxing whilst you sleep (or perhaps during the day if you choose). These dental guards will cost you a few hundred dollars. Or, you can try one the commercially available mouth guards which come ready to use and are adjustable to various mouth sizes. For the sake of ease, I recommend the type which doesn’t require anything special before use – no boiling, no special anything else, just adjust, stick in mouth, prevent bruxing. Note that you should always follow the instructions that come with your particular mouth guard, as some of them require a half hour adjustment period before sleep, to get your mouth acclimated to the guard itself.
