How do you live with bruxism?
People grind or clench their teeth at night for a number of
physical reasons, such as teeth misalignment or a
missing tooth. There’s evidence that teeth grinding is
hereditary, and it’s much more common in women than
men. Other major factors for bruxism are stress and
anxiety.
While wearing a protective and comfortable dental
protector (such as The Doctor’s® NightGuard™
Advanced Comfort™ Dental Protector) is the surest way
to cope with teeth grinding, there are a number of other
steps you can take to help lessen its severity.
- Get regular exercise to relieve stress. Yoga is
particularly good for easing tension.
- If stress is severe, consider relaxation therapy or stress management techniques.
- Avoid alcohol, which can intensify grinding.
- Cut back or avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages, which can disturb
sleep.
- Try not to clench your teeth during the day.
- Avoid chewing gum, which can train the jaw muscles to clench tightly.
- Take a warm bath or shower before bedtime to relax jaw muscles. Or simply
soak a washcloth in warm water and hold it against your jaw.