Bruxism
Bruxism
10 Ways to Stop Grinding Your Teeth
Like vampires, they chomp. But sufferers of bruxism don't go for necks. Instead, they sink their upper teach into their lower teeth, gritting and grinding—again and again and again.
They don't do it by choice. Rather, those who grit and grind usually do so because they're stressed. (Some say that clenching in reaction to stress or anger is a primal instinct.)
Dr. Goljan's 7 × 7 Solution In Tulsa, Oklahoma, tooth-grinding patients of Kenneth R. Goljan, D.D.S., are told to go home and practice his 7 × 7. Chomping teeth together is often a programmed response to stress, says Dr. Goljan. That is, we grit and grind when we're uptight because it's an ingrained habit. How do we break the habit? First, identify the problem. ("Clenching and grinding my teeth is bad for me.") Second, state why the problem is bad. ("This causes me pain and makes me sad.") Third, state what your course of action will be. ("I will not clench and grind my teeth anymore.") Finally, describe how this new action will be beneficial. ("This will make the pain go away and I will be happier.") It is important, says Dr. Goljan, that you use your own words to describe your habit and your feelings about it. Copy your phrases on paper. Carry that paper with you until you memorize the phrases and repeat them seven times, seven times a day. It's that simple. Will it stop you from grinding? "I virtually guarantee some degree of success, and in many cases, major success," says Dr. Goljan. |
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Though bruxism may result from stress, a mess of things can result from bruxism. Untreated, it can lead to worn-down teeth, headaches, sore necks and backs, and the whole pack of symptoms that comprise a condition known as temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). In some cases, nocturnal gnashing can even ruin a marriage.
But before you call a divorce lawyer or start sleeping with a sock in your mouth, try the home remedies provided here.
During the day, keep your mouth in the "healthy resting position." Your teeth should touch only when you're chewing food or swallowing, says Andrew S. Kaplan, D.M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dentistry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York. If you practice keeping your teeth apart, it will reduce the urge to clench or grind. Set little reminders in key places around your home and office so that you won't forget. He suggests repeating the phrase "lips together, teeth apart" as a reminder.
Crunch an apple. If you grind at night, tucker out the jaw by munching on an apple, some raw cauliflower, or raw carrots before retiring. It may help calm your overactive mouth, says Harold T. Perry, D.D.S., Ph.D., professor of orthodontics at Northwestern University Dental School. This course is particularly helpful for children, for whom nocturnal clenching is common.
Apply heat to your jaws. Fold up a washcloth, run hot water over it, wring it out, and apply it against the sides of your face, suggests Kenneth R. Goljan, D.D.S., a dentist in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who has a particular interest in bruxism. Apply the heat as often and as long as you can. It will relax the clenching muscles frequently associated with head pain, he says.
For nighttime grinding, try a mouth guard. Sporting goods stores sell mouth guards that you put in hot water and then pop into your mouth and bite down on for a better fit. Sheldon Gross, D.D.S., a lecturer at Tufts University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/New Jersey Medical School, says these inexpensive aids may be used temporarily to guard against nighttime chomping. If it works, tell your dentist. He can then make you a better one.
Above all else, calm down. All four of our experts agree that bruxism is most often related to stress, so the best thing you can do to stop clenching is relax. To do so, you should:
- Cut down on caffeine and refined carbohydrates such as candy and pastries. This will help improve your general nutrition.
- Take some warm baths.
- Ease up on yourself.
- Learn some good general relaxation techniques, such as progressive relaxation and meditation.
PANEL OF ADVISERS
Kenneth R. Goljan, D.D.S., practices general dentistry in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His practice is largely devoted to treating TMJ disorders and bruxism. He has held appointments at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in Kentucky and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/New Jersey Medical School in Newark.
Sheldon Gross, D.D.S., is in private practice in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He is a lecturer at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/New Jersey Medical School in Newark. He is also president of the American Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders and a member of both the American Pain Association and the American Headache Association.
Andrew S. Kaplan, D.M.D., is an assistant clinical professor of dentistry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York and author of The TMJ Book. He is director of the TMJ Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Harold T. Perry, D.D.S., Ph.D., practices dentistry in Elgin, Illinois. He is a professor of orthodontics at Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, Illinois. He is also the editor of the Journal of Craniomandibular Disorders—Oralfacial Pain and a past president of the American Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders.
