What is Teeth Grinding?
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a condition where a person unconsciously clenches their jaw and grinds their teeth. Teeth grinding can cause headaches, toothaches, nerve pain, gum pain and make opening your mouth difficult. In severe cases, teeth grinding can lead to tooth damage and other oral health problems.
It’s estimated 8.6% of adults experience sleep bruxism, making the condition common. Possible during the day but more common at night, teeth grinding from bruxism can have a dramatic effect on your every day if left untreated. It’s important to take whatever steps are necessary to stop grinding your teeth in order to preserve them from damage over time.
Why Do I Grind My Teeth in My Sleep?
The exact cause of teeth grinding is not fully understood and often can be a combination of factors. Common causes of teeth grinding at night include:
- Stress and anxiety:Stress and anxiety can cause muscle tension in the jaw, leading to teeth grinding.
- Sleep disorders:Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome may increase the risk of teeth grinding.
- Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use:These substances can stimulate the muscles in the jaw and increase the likelihood of teeth grinding.
- Certain medications:Some medications, such as antidepressants and stimulants, can cause teeth grinding as a side effect.
- Genetics:There may be a genetic component to teeth grinding, as it tends to run in families.
Thinking about if any of these factors apply to you is a good first step to discovering what might be causing you to grind your teeth. Talk with your family if there is any history of teeth grinding in the family. Consider any medications you may be currently taking and how often you may be using stimulating substances. Your dentist can help determine if you’re suffering from sleep apnea as well and provide any treatment options to solve both problems.
9 Home Remedies to Treat Teeth Grinding
To begin treating chronic teeth grinding, the most aggressive method would be contacting your dental office and seeing a dentist who addresses teeth grinding cases. If you’re noticing early signs and looking for ways to correct teeth grinding at home, see our must-see tips below.
1. Jaw Stretching Exercise
Jaw exercises can help to strengthen the muscles in your jaw and reduce the likelihood of teeth grinding. The best jaw stretching method can be done with a simple exercise. Try this example at home:
- Placethe tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.
- Slowlyopen your mouth as wide as you can, keeping your tongue in place. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
- Slowlyclose your mouth, again keeping your tongue in place. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
- Repeatthe exercise 10-15 times, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
2. Hot Towel Compresses
Adding heat to the affected sides of your jaw can increase blood flow and provide added comfort to the most painful areas. Take a heated pad or washcloth and place it on a resting area, such as a bed or couch. Lie down for 15 minutes against the pad or washcloth. Repeat on the other side for 15 minutes and as many times afterward as necessary.
3. Relaxation Techniques
Reducing stress and anxiety is a sure way to find relief from chronic teeth grinding. From the basics of watching your breathing to more dedicated muscle relaxation techniques like yoga, focusing on relaxing your mind and body can be a simple cure for teeth grinding. 3 relaxation techniques worth trying include:
- Meditate:Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit and focus on your breath or a mantra. Let go of distracting thoughts and focus on the present moment.
- Practice yoga:Many yoga poses can relax the muscles in the jaw and face. Consider trying poses such as child's pose, downward facing dog or corpse pose for the greatest benefit.
- Deep breathing:Sit in a comfortable position and take slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on your breath and clear your mind of other thoughts.
Be sure to practice good sleeping habits like turning off electronic devices an hour before bed.
4. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated can help you avoid dehydration, which causes dry mouth and increases your risk of developing teeth grinding. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent dry mouth and maintain your health. The average recommended water intake is about 11 cups of water for women and 15 cups for men per day.
5. Avoid Stimulating Substances in the Evening
Drinking or smoking stimulating substances hours before going to bed can increase muscle activity in the jaw and build muscle tension. Common examples of stimulating substances include:
- Coffee
- Caffeinated tea
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
- Tobacco
Stick to more relaxing substances like water, herbal tea, caffeinated coffee and any other non-alcoholic beverages.
6. Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods
Magnesium is a mineral involved in several bodily functions, including muscle function. Some research suggests low levels of magnesium may be linked to an increased risk of teeth grinding. Consuming magnesium-rich foods may help to improve muscle function and reduce the frequency and severity of teeth grinding.
Examples of magnesium-rich foods include:
- Leafy green vegetables:Spinach, kale and broccoli
- Nuts and seeds:Almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
- Whole grains:Oats, quinoa and brown rice
- Legumes:Beans, lentils and chickpeas
- Avocado:Avocado is a good source of magnesium, as well as other nutrients like healthy fats and fiber.
7. Drink Turmeric Milk or Herbal Tea
Turmeric is a spice common in cooking and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has been suggested to have benefits for a variety of health conditions. While there is no direct evidence turmeric milk (a mixture of turmeric and milk) can stop teeth grinding, it may help to reduce the discomfort associated with grinding your teeth.
Herbal tea is a naturally caffeine-free beverage that is made from the leaves, flowers or fruit of plants. Some herbal teas, such as chamomile or lavender, are known for their calming properties and may be helpful in reducing the stress and anxiety that causes teeth grinding.
Drinking herbal tea before bed may help to relax the muscles in the jaw and reduce the likelihood of grinding your teeth while you sleep. While herbal tea may be helpful for reducing teeth grinding, it is not a cure-all and other remedies may also be necessary to get the results you need.
8. Avoid Hard Foods
Hard foods require stronger biting force and if consumed often can put a strain on jaw muscles, leading to teeth grinding. Avoiding or greatly limiting your hard foods intake could provide needed relief from teeth grinding. Examples of hard foods to avoid include nuts, tough meats, and hard candies.
9. Splint Therapy
When all other remedies have failed to provide the relief from teeth grinding you are looking for, you are left to use a splint through splint therapy. Splint therapy, also known as occlusal splint therapy or bite splint therapy, is a treatment option for teeth grinding. This type of therapy involves the use of a custom-made splint, similar to a mouthguard, worn over the teeth to protect them from grinding and clenching during sleep.
The splint is typically made of acrylic or another hard material and custom-made to fit the contours of your teeth. You’ll wear the splint over the upper or lower teeth, depending on the location of the grinding. Splint therapy can be used alone or in combination with other treatment options such as relaxation techniques and stress management.
TCD Madison Dentists Provide Splint Therapy to Patients
If you are interested in splint therapy for teeth grinding and happen to live in the Madison, WI area, contact us for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. We’ll help you determine if splint therapy is best for you, get your custom splint made, and provide the instruction you need for the best results. We’ll be with you every step of the way and can provide frequent follow-ups to monitor the effectiveness of the splint to correct unwanted teeth grinding.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Teeth Grinding
Q: Can you naturally stop teeth grinding?
A: Depending on the frequency and severity of your teeth grinding, full treatment may be possible through natural remedies. A few remedies to try at home could be jaw exercises (where you hold your tongue at top of your mouth while opening and closing), relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing, staying hydrated, avoiding trigger hard foods and abstaining from stimulating substances in the evening (coffee, alcohol, nicotine and tobacco).
Q: How do I stop grinding my teeth ASAP?
A: To stop teeth grinding often a set regime is required over a period of time for complete elimination. The fastest way to find relief from teeth grinding can be to contact your local dentist for a consultation on getting a mouth splint and practicing a few at-home bruxism remedies in the meantime.
Q: How do I stop grinding my teeth at night without a mouthguard?
A: If you want to stop grinding your teeth at night but don’t want to use a mouthguard or splint, there are a few at-home remedies you can try as mentioned in this guide. A few to highlight include jaw exercises, relaxation techniques, eating magnesium-rich foods and drinking either turmeric milk or herbal tea at night.
