Tooth Grinding

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Tooth Grinding

Gnash No More

Most women who grind their teeth don't even know it--until their husbands tell them that they grind their teeth while they sleep, or their dentists see the wear and tear on their tooth surfaces.

Some women grind their teeth when they're nervous or concentrating hard at work. Maybe you clench your jaw in heavy traffic, or when your next-door neighbor does something that she knows will annoy you.

When To See A Doctor If your jaws ache in the morning, or if you get frequent headaches, and especially if your partner tells you that you're grinding your teeth at night, you should visit your dentist to see if you're damaging your teeth, says Geraldine Morrow, D.M.D., past president of the American Dental Association, a member of the American Association of Women Dentists and a dentist in Anchorage, Alaska. A dentist or a medical doctor can treat tooth grinding (bruxism) with custom-fitted mouth appliances to protect your teeth while you sleep; relaxation therapies, including biofeedback, or (if needed) prescription medications.

Tooth grinding (or bruxism, as it's known) isn't normal, says Geraldine Morrow, D.M.D., past president of the American Dental Associa tion, a member of the American Association of Women Dentists and a dentist in Anchorage, Alaska. And it's not good for you.

"Your teeth are not supposed to touch, except for fractions of seconds when you swallow," says Dr. Morrow.

WHY WOMEN GNASH THEIR TEETH

A study conducted at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh found that women who gnash their teeth tend to be hard-driving, impatient and worried. If you fit that description, the worn enamel on your teeth and your aching jaw may be telling you to relax a little and give yourself an emotional break.

Stress contributes to tooth grinding, but it isn't the only cause. Tooth and jaw misalignments may play a role. Whatever the cause, tooth grinding needs to be brought under control, or it can lead to serious problems, including headaches, jaw pain, fatigue, tooth sensitivity and wear, temporomandibular disorder, even changes in your facial appearance and bone loss.

MORE THAN AN ANNOYANCE

If your dentist has confirmed that you grind your teeth and should do something about it, women doctors offer these tips for kicking the habit.

Relax your jaw. "Consciously keep your jaws relaxed and your teeth apart," advises Dr. Morrow.

Follow the dots. Try this handy way to remind yourself to unclench your teeth, as suggested by Heidi K. Hausauer, D.D.S., instructor of operative dentistry at the University of the Pacific Dental School in San Francisco and spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry: Buy a sheet or two of orange dot stickers, available at stores that sell tablets and writing supplies. Paste them everywhere: on your mirror, your dashboard, your television and your refrigerator door. Every time you see one, says Dr. Hausauer, separate your teeth.

Huff and puff. "Exercise!" advises practicing psychologist Marian R. Stuart, Ph.D., clinical professor of family medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick and co-author of Coping with the Stressed-Out People in Your Life. "It's good for stress, it clears your head, and if you do it for more than 25 minutes, it prompts your brain to release natural feel-good substances called endorphins." As an added benefit, endorphins act as pain relievers, too, for when your head and jaw are throbbing reminders of your night grinding.

Try herbal tea or warm milk before bedtime. Some research suggests that alcohol before bed can exacerbate your tooth grinding. Have a cup of relaxing herbal tea with honey or warm milk instead, Dr. Stuart suggests.

Shower yourself with relief. "Sore muscles respond to moist heat," says Carol Bibb, D.D.S., Ph.D., adjunct associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dentistry. Dr. Bibb says that stretching gently in the shower may make your jaw and neck feel better, as will a hot, moist compress.

(For practical ways to manage stress, see page 521. For information on temporomandibular disorder, see page 534.)