Teeth Grinding - how to stop something you're not aware of?
Discussion
So apparently I grind my teeth at night, but I have no clue that I'm doing it, I've just been informed by others. My other half normally nudges my face to get me to stop but apparently I just roll over and carry on. They said I'm grinding so hard they're surprised I have any teeth left at all.
Told my dentist about it - was told it's stress and that I should see a shrink. But I grind every single night, without fail, regardless of where I am, etc, I could be on holiday and I'd still do it. I don't live a stressful life and refuse to believe I've been stressed since I was about 15 years old!
Saw a consultant orthodontist and had my jaw x-rayed - he said I haven't got an abnormal jaw alignment but that I should try and stop it because I've grinded my molars down loads and I have little tooth enamel left.
How can I stop something that I'm not aware of doing?! Stuff on t'internet says hypnotism is a solution to stop grinding but I'm very very skeptical of that sort of thing.
Dentist also told me that a mouthguard would make it worse because my teeth wouldn't like the foreign object in my mouth and would make it worse!
So what on earth am I supposed to do? This isn't an uncommon problem so someone must have some suggestions! False teeth at 25??!
Told my dentist about it - was told it's stress and that I should see a shrink. But I grind every single night, without fail, regardless of where I am, etc, I could be on holiday and I'd still do it. I don't live a stressful life and refuse to believe I've been stressed since I was about 15 years old!
Saw a consultant orthodontist and had my jaw x-rayed - he said I haven't got an abnormal jaw alignment but that I should try and stop it because I've grinded my molars down loads and I have little tooth enamel left.
How can I stop something that I'm not aware of doing?! Stuff on t'internet says hypnotism is a solution to stop grinding but I'm very very skeptical of that sort of thing.
Dentist also told me that a mouthguard would make it worse because my teeth wouldn't like the foreign object in my mouth and would make it worse!
So what on earth am I supposed to do? This isn't an uncommon problem so someone must have some suggestions! False teeth at 25??!
Edited by SunnyD on Friday 18th September 14:56
Had exactly the same issue. Especially when stressed used to wake my wife up as I was grinding my teeth so hard - no idea I was doing it.
My dentist made me a custom mouth piece (kind of like a rugby gum shield but thinner and comfortable to wear).
May not fully stop the grinding but at least you're not grinding teeth on teeth. After about 2/3 weeks apparently I stopped doing it and don't wear the mouth piece anymore.
May not work for everyone but definitely worked for me.
My dentist made me a custom mouth piece (kind of like a rugby gum shield but thinner and comfortable to wear).
May not fully stop the grinding but at least you're not grinding teeth on teeth. After about 2/3 weeks apparently I stopped doing it and don't wear the mouth piece anymore.
May not work for everyone but definitely worked for me.
It's true that sometimes a mouthguard/splint can become a chewy toy but as the poster above said at least this protects your teeth from being destroyed.
There are several types of plastic used for mouthguards pretty much soft, medium and hard.
If you go for the medium or hard versions they are less liable to make you want to eat them and they last longer too.
There are several types of plastic used for mouthguards pretty much soft, medium and hard.
If you go for the medium or hard versions they are less liable to make you want to eat them and they last longer too.
http://www.whiterthanwhite.com/products/nightguard...
Custom made to fit your teeth, it helps. I used to have this problem, it's called bruxism. I wasn't stressed, but there are a lot of other causes I think.
Custom made to fit your teeth, it helps. I used to have this problem, it's called bruxism. I wasn't stressed, but there are a lot of other causes I think.
I've had a mouth shield made up.. ditched it after 30 mins, found it really aggrivating to use..
They've offered now to 'plaster' my molars with white fillings to provide a level of protection..
I'm hoping that Its just a passing thing, I'm not really stressed work wise, more a life thing and something I hope/expect to go away in time, that said, I'd love to hear from others.
They've offered now to 'plaster' my molars with white fillings to provide a level of protection..
I'm hoping that Its just a passing thing, I'm not really stressed work wise, more a life thing and something I hope/expect to go away in time, that said, I'd love to hear from others.
Defcon5 said:
JamieBeeston said:
They've offered now to 'plaster' my molars with white fillings to provide a level of protection..
Ive had half a tooth rebuilt using some king of filling materiel - its is rather annoying as it isnt smooth. Its like a really really fine sandpaper
Being the cheap-a$$ that I am, rather than pay my dentist to make me a custom guard I've just gone and bought one; The Dentek night guard. You're supposed to put it in boiling water and mould it to your mouth. I'll give it a try and let you know if it makes things better/worse/any difference at all!
get an NTI night guard, you'll grind through normal teeth guards and they encourage you to grind...
http://www.nti-tss.com/
http://www.nti-tss.com/
.Tim. said:
get an NTI night guard, you'll grind through normal teeth guards and they encourage you to grind...
http://www.nti-tss.com/
Holy moly how am I supposed to sleep with that thing on my head!? http://www.nti-tss.com/
Let me know how you get on with that guard. I do this too, but so hard that I wake up with sore jaws, so I know when I've been doing it. Although I'm also told I make the most horrific scratching/squeeky noise from the grinding too.
If I'm stressed, worried or just very busy it gets worse.
Strangely if i've been drinking it doesn't happen.
If I'm stressed, worried or just very busy it gets worse.
Strangely if i've been drinking it doesn't happen.
? Well, a couple of weeks in and through wearing the guard I've discovered exactly which teeth I'm grinding...because I've managed to grind through a whole layer of the guard already in one certain palce. I'm now left with the hard plastic bit which I've no doubt I'll eventually wear down. So the softer buffer bit didn't last very long at all!!
The other problem I've discovered is that my unconscious self doesn't like wearing the guard very much - so much so that I've started taking it out, in my sleep! On several occasions I've woken up with the guard in my hand! I have absolutely no recollection of this (in the same way that I'm unaware of my grinding in the first place.
I find it highly amusing that in my sleep I have the intelligence to keep the guard in my hand and not just lose it somewhere in the bed, yet not stop grinding in the first place!!
My next plan is to remove my teeth altogether and see if that helps.
The other problem I've discovered is that my unconscious self doesn't like wearing the guard very much - so much so that I've started taking it out, in my sleep! On several occasions I've woken up with the guard in my hand! I have absolutely no recollection of this (in the same way that I'm unaware of my grinding in the first place.
I find it highly amusing that in my sleep I have the intelligence to keep the guard in my hand and not just lose it somewhere in the bed, yet not stop grinding in the first place!!
My next plan is to remove my teeth altogether and see if that helps.
As I suggested before, look at an NTI. They stop you from grinding....
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
I've had one for 2 years and rarely grind my teeth anymore.
There's a list of uk dentists that supply them here:-
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
I've had one for 2 years and rarely grind my teeth anymore.
There's a list of uk dentists that supply them here:-
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
.Tim. said:
As I suggested before, look at an NTI. They stop you from grinding....
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
I've had one for 2 years and rarely grind my teeth anymore.
There's a list of uk dentists that supply them here:-
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
To be honest I'm too bothered that I grind, I don't have any symptoms from it except for the damage to my teeth, i.e I don't get jaw ache or anything, so something that just protects my teeth would do. I'm looking for something that doesn't cost much and the NTI looks like it might be expensive?http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
I've had one for 2 years and rarely grind my teeth anymore.
There's a list of uk dentists that supply them here:-
http://www.headacheprevention.com/index.php?option...
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