Stress Management Support Group
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Any suggestions on how to stop grinding teeth & clenching jaw while sleeping? Mouthguard is not preventing it from occurring (I wear it every night). I woke with several molars in pain last night. I tried to relax my jaw, tried to sleep with mouth ajar.
But what to do? Other than sawing off my lower jaw? I already required 1 root canal due to this problem.
I assume it's related to stress. (I am completely stressed out. Much not within my immediate control. Unemployed, food stamps, low-income, critical sisters, sick mother.)
Can you relate?
But what to do? Other than sawing off my lower jaw? I already required 1 root canal due to this problem.
I assume it's related to stress. (I am completely stressed out. Much not within my immediate control. Unemployed, food stamps, low-income, critical sisters, sick mother.)
Can you relate?
Yes, it can be related to stress, sometimes it is due problems in the jaw socket (TMJ).
The most common treatment is a soft splint as you appear to be using.
the alternative is a thicker splint, but also you need to be aware that you do need a freeway space (FWS)- as in an opportunity for your teeth to come apart in a naturally relaxed way.
When you are tense the muscles in your jaw will contract and close this space, hence you grind your teeth.
It may be possible to look to a hard splint which is the next srage up, but sometimes, placing items in the mouth doesnt help as it reduces the ability of the jaw to relax due to the closure of the FWS.
Spaking from experience and having suffered from Bruxism for almost 30 years, i found i was actually worse off wearing a splint as my reflex when something was in my mouth was to chew.
It works for some people.
i hope you get relief because it can be horrendous when you wake up.
try doing some gentle jaw exercises before you go to bed and first thing in the morning.
start by trying to insert two fingers between your teeth (vetically)to open them.
gradually incerease until you have more fingers in your mouth. take your time. only increase after a few weeks. These exercises may help reduce the stress on the muscles and stretch them out a bit, hopefully then reducing the tension in the muscles.
good luck, hope you can get through this