Bruxism - help!

Saffythecat

Over the last year I have developed a nasty teeth clenching habit. I am clenching due to stress, which is an ongoing issue. I have had four root canals, and have “bruised” my upper front tooth to the point that it has grade one mobility. I have no decay, and other than one 3mm pocket between my upper wisdom tooth and the next door molar, no gum disease. (I saw the dentist last week.)

Has anyone successfully stopped tooth clenching? How? I wear a custom made night guard, and am due to get a new one to try and ease the pressure on the front tooth. I have read about Cerezen but my dentist said she didn’t think I was a good candidate. I am genuinely at my wits end and have asked my dentist if she would take all my teeth out and fit dentures - she said no way.

I am 45, female, and in otherwise good health. Ironically I am frequently complimented on how nice my teeth look...

Toothsmith

It really is a problem, with no real solution. Managing it is about the best you can do.

Stress is a real factor in making it worse - which often leads to a vicious circle, as worrying about your bruxism isn't going to help much either!!

So - stress management techniques are something that can help. A good bite / guard occlusal appliance is also a real tooth-saver, and wearing it as much as you can is vital.

Sometimes, some medications can make it worse - but if you are on any, your dentist should have been told, so could check to see if any of them have bruxism as a known side effect.

Finally, taking the teeth out really doesn't help. I have a patient who still grids away at her denture, and goes through them really quite quickly!

Misslayed

I developed this habit after my husband died - but only when I was driving. By the time I reached my destination my whole face and neck would ache. I stopped myself doing it by chewing gum when driving (not something I ever do normally). Not sure if this would work for you? It just got me out of the habit.

Saffythecat

Thanks for your reply. I am on medication for IBS, and antihistamines for hay fever, but I have taken both of them for years - the bruxism only started at the beginning of last year when the stress levels ramped up. I only do it at night, and wish I could train myself to sleep with my mouth open! I am so scared the front tooth is going to fall out I am struggling to sleep at all, and am afraid to eat too. (The dentist said there was no danger, and that she had patients with grade three mobility who had stayed that way for years, but it would be typical that I was the one.)

Saffythecat

Misslayed, so sorry to hear about your husband!!!8217;s death. I only do it in my sleep, so gum would be a bit of a hazard, but thank you for the suggestion.

Toothsmith

Don't just think of it as something you do in your sleep.

Things you do during the day can really help to alleviate it.

Saffythecat

Are you able to give me a clue, Toothsmith? I take really good care of my teeth (brushing, tepe brushes/floss, and have no decay/gum disease) if that's what you mean? In terms of stress, I'm not keen to go on any sort of medication for anxiety given that I know exactly what the source of the stress is. (But am not able to minimise it!)

silvercar

I tried getting into the habit of sleeping with my tongue between my teeth; bite too hard and it wakes you up, hopefully your body learns not to clench your teeth.

Toothsmith

Saffythecat wrote: »

Are you able to give me a clue, Toothsmith? I take really good care of my teeth (brushing, tepe brushes/floss, and have no decay/gum disease) if that's what you mean? In terms of stress, I'm not keen to go on any sort of medication for anxiety given that I know exactly what the source of the stress is. (But am not able to minimise it!)

You say you are getting a new bite guard? That should hopefully help, will it just be a soft one or a hard one? A well adjusted hard one could be worn during the day as well and help 'deprogram' the muscles that are clenching and help to lessen the effects.

There are also some jaw exercises you can do that can help with the same thing. You can google these and try them out.. I don't want to step on your dentist's toes though. She is the one who can see you and is best placed to give advice.

Bruxism can be a very destructive condition though, and is very hard to treat.

You may not be able to do anything about the source of the stress, but by taking some time out to try and relax, and doing the jaw exercises, and wearing the bite guard/deprogrammer, you can do a lot to alleviate it's effects.

Saffythecat

It!!!8217;s a new soft one, I think, although it is pretty hard to my untrained eye - it!!!8217;s flexible but not wobbly if that makes sense, clear plastic, moulded from an impression of my teeth. The dentist said she will ask the lab to hollow out the bit by the front teeth a bit so I am not putting so much pressure on them, and she ground it down/out a little in my current guard meantime. She seems quite unfazed by it so perhaps it!!!8217;s not as severe as I think. The mobile tooth has really given me the heebie newbies, but I guess you pros see this, and worse, every single day. (She said she would eat her surgical gloves if the tooth fell out, which is reassuring!)

I!!!8217;m a lecturer, so wearing it through the day for long periods is not really an option (my speech is slurred with it in, and talking makes me slaver a bit) but I can certainly wear it in the evenings. I will definitely look at the exercises too. Currently I feel like my jaw is sitting out of alignment which is not great. Thank you for such helpful advice.

@silvercar I actually do go to sleep with my tongue clamped between my pointy teeth (eye teeth?) but I must let go of it during the night. I tried sticking my finger in my mouth too but that doesn!!!8217;t work. I was never a thumb sucker as a kid!