How can i stop clenching my teeth

Chronic teeth grinding and teeth clenching during the day can result in the fracture, loosening, or even the loss of teeth. Over time, teeth can be worn down to stumps, resulting in the need for crowns, bridges, implants, or even dentures. To get your daytime bruxism under control, you can try the following:.

One of the best treatments for nighttime bruxism is wearing a fitted mouthguard from your dentist. A mouthguard can help protect your teeth from damage and reduce the effects of grinding on muscle, tissues, and bone. In more severe cases, your dentist may prescribe a muscle relaxant to take before you go to bed to relax the muscles and prevent clenching and grinding. However, this is usually a last resort in cases where bruxism causes difficulty in opening the mouth or severe pain.

If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Teeth grinding bruxism often occurs during sleep. This is called sleep or nocturnal bruxism. This is known as awake bruxism. If you grind your teeth, there are things you can do to stop it.

Some remedies may work better than others, depending on the underlying cause of your teeth grinding and symptoms. Your dentist or doctor can help guide you to your best solution for ending bruxism. Mouthguards are a kind of occlusal splint that may be helpful for sleep bruxism.

They work by cushioning your teeth and stopping them from grinding against each other while you sleep. If you have chronic sleep bruxism, custom-made mouthguards may help protect your teeth from damage. They may also reduce the strain on your jaw. Custom-made mouthguards are more expensive than OTC options, but may be a better choice for some people.

Custom-made mouthguards come in varying degrees of thickness. OTC nighttime mouthguards are typically made of plastic. OTC mouthguards may not be as effective for severe bruxism as custom-made types, but their low cost may make them an attractive and viable solution for people with minor teeth grinding.

Reductive coronoplasty is a dental procedure that may be used to reshape or level the biting surface of your teeth. It may be effective if your teeth grinding is caused by crowded, misaligned, or crooked teeth. In some instances, a second procedure called additive coronoplasty may be used to build up the teeth.

Your dentist can perform either procedure. In a meta-analysis of four studies, researchers found evidence that injections of botulinum toxin Botox may reduce pain and the frequency of teeth grinding in otherwise healthy participants.

However, researchers who conducted a later study determined that more research is needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of using Botox for the treatment of teeth grinding. Discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor before beginning Botox injections to treat bruxism. Over time, this can cause facial muscles to tighten up, or worse, lead to more serious dental problems such as cracks, wear and even loss of tooth. There can be multiple reasons why you might be grinding your teeth including stress, anxiety, anger, frustration or tension, depression and sleep disorders.

It can also be related to heavy consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Bruxism or teeth grinding is generally found more frequently in people who snore or suffer from some form of sleep apnea and in people who regularly smoke, drink alcohol, use recreational drugs and caffeine.

RA is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder which affects muscles and joints throughout the body, this includes inflammation of the temporomandibular joint TMJ. Inflammation of the jaw joint can make it difficult or painful to open your mouth, and may cause damage to the joint and surrounding tissues, possibly even bone loss in the jaw.

Just like any other joint or muscle in your body, excessive use will cause some pain or discomfort and result in jaw tightness. Here is how to chew your food. Tetanus is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that produces toxins which cause painful muscle contractions in the abdomen, neck and jaw and trouble swallowing.

It is highly recommended that you seek immediate medical assistance if you suspect you may have tetanus. Jaw joint stretches and facial exercises can help relieve tightness in the jaw and increase range of motion. This will help stretch and relieve muscle tightness of the jaw and neck.

Next, place your fingers on the top of your front four bottom teeth and slowly pull down until you feel a slight discomfort on the tight side of your jaw. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then slowly release your jaw back to the starting position.

Repeat this stretch 3 times and slowly work your way up to 12 repetitions. Want more tips and offers sent directly to your inbox? Products Categories Goals Brands. Our Commitment Our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program brings oral health education to more than half a billion children around the world. Learn more about our commitment to oral health education.

Badge field New. How to Ease Symptoms of Teeth Clenching. Published date field. Top Articles. Teeth clenching could be the cause of some of your dental problems, so look out for these symptoms: Morning headaches Sore jaw or facial muscles Neck pain Chipped or cracked teeth Sensitive or loose teeth How to Stop Teeth Clenching Teeth clenching can happen for a number of reasons, but there are a few things you can do that might keep clenching at bay.

Reduce stress. Stress is one of the leading causes of teeth clenching and teeth grinding. Try these tricks to help reduce stress and save your teeth from taking the heat.

Think positive. Practice actively letting go of negative thoughts. Before bed, take five minutes to address anxieties in your life by writing down your feelings and thoughts in a notepad. This practice can help calm any negative thoughts that could be triggering teeth clenching at night. Practice mindful awareness.