All of us experience stress in one way or another. Some of us are better at managing that stress than others, but none of us are exempt from stress. Too much stress can lead to serious health issues, including stomach ulcers and high blood pressure. Now we also know that stress is linked to grinding and clenching teeth at night.
Bruxism is the official term for teeth grinding. It can cause major damage on your teeth and become quite a nuisance for anyone that shares a bed with you.
For many years, experts were not confident what causes bruxism. Theories of causes ranged from teeth not matching up correctly to certain sleep patterns. Now that we are more aware of the relationship between teeth grinding and stress, it is somewhat manageable.
Night Guard
Many dentists and orthodontists will suggest using a night guard to prevent excessive teeth grinding. Night guards are made of strong plastic or acrylic and can form to an individual mouth. You simply place the guard in your mouth before you go to bed. Because it is formed to your mouth, it will stay in place through the night. They do not necessarily stop teeth grinding altogether, but they can help to redistribute the pressure and force that occurs.
Evening Stress Release
To avoid nighttime bruxism, focus on relaxing before you go to bed each night. You might try taking a warm bath or shower or reading a book. Find a soothing activity that works for you and build it into your daily routine. When you are able to release stress before you go to bed, you will sleep more soundly and grind your teeth less.
Heat and Massage
Just as a soothing massage can help muscles in other parts of your body relax, it can also help relax your jaw muscles. Take a few minutes just before bedtime to massage your jaw muscles to release stress and prepare them for the night. Applying heat to your jaw is also a good way to relax those muscles. Try to use moist heat, as it tends to penetrate better.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Be sure that you are getting 20 to 30 minutes of exercise in every day to stay fit keep your worries at bay. By releasing tension built up inside through exercise, you are much less likely to experience bruxism at night.
If you are interested in learning more about controlling your teeth grinding, call us at Smile Concepts today at 480-951-2800. We will set up a free consultation with Dr. Rouhani so that he can examine any issues that may have occurred from grinding teeth. From there, he can work with you to develop a plan to prevent this from happening.
Find out what it is like to sleep peacefully throughout the night without teeth grinding and without excess stress.
