Teeth grinding is also known as bruxism. It is a very common sleep disorder in which people grind their teeth at night and are usually unaware of it.
It is very harmful for overall health to as it can:
- Loosen the teeth
- Disrupt the enamel
This requires the needs of serious dental work such as crowns, bridges, root canals implants or dentures.
If it gets worse, it can change the appearance of the face or can cause temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).
Therefore, it is very important to get the right treatment before it too late. Visit an expert dentist near you to get the most suitable option for your problem.
Best Ways to Stop Grinding without a Mouth Guard
To treat bruxism, the first thing you must do is to figure out the cause behind it. Talk to your doctor or professional sleep specialist if you have depression, anxiety, stress, or a misaligned jaw.
If you’re figure out the reason behind your grinding, it becomes easier to choose the right option.
Mouthguards or night guards are also very helpful. Your doctor can give you a custom-made nightguard made of rubber or plastic that can protect your pearly whites from damage.
However, if you are looking for other effective options to treat your problem, you can follow these following tips:
1. Treat Stress and Anxiety
According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, grinding is most common among young children and the least common among older.
Stress and anxiety play a key role in bruxism according to a study from the Institute of Dentistry in Finland and nearly 70% of bruxism are due to stress.
Thus, if bruxism habit is due to underlying stress and anxiety, then you can take the help of psychological treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy.
It is a talk therapy that explores your inner thoughts and feelings and helps you in building healthier habits. It has the potential to manage stress, break unwanted habits and reduce stress.
To ease your stress, you can also have a good sleep at night. You can even do deep breathing, yoga, massage, and reading, listening to your favorite music and taking a bath before going to bed.
2. Break Your Habit
You can try habit-reversal techniques to break your grinding habits. Habit-reversal techniques are used by specially trained therapists. If you are aware of how often you grind, it becomes easier to break the habit.
Whenever you notice grinding during the day, keep your tongue between your jaws. It will relax your jaw and eventually will reduce your habit.
3. Treat and Prevent Dental Problems
To avoid any dental problems, it is important to regularly go for dental check-ups to prevent further damage.
If your grinding is due to misaligned, cracked, crooked or missing tooth, it can be corrected with crowns or overlays.
These treatments help by reshaping the chewing surface to help you to stop grinding.
4. Get Self-help
There are some of the things that you can do yourself to treat your condition such as:
- Avoiding your alcohol intake, tobacco, smoking, and caffeine usage.
- Avoid chewing gums or chewing upon pens, pencils, nails or any hard objects.
- Avoid the intake of foods that requires a lot of chewing like nuts.
- If you become conscious of grinding at night stop immediately.
5. Try Tapping
It is a therapeutic method of psychological acupressure and is considered as an emotional release technique.
According to research, it was found that it helps treat post-traumatic stress disorder, so it will be useful for stress-related disorders.
6. Reap the Perks of Acupuncture
This technique can help treat bruxism according to American Physical TherapyAssociation.
7. Physical Therapy
According to the American Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders and the Minnesota Dental Association, physical therapy can help treat temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It can reduce inflammation, alleviate pain and can restore oral functioning.
Grind grinding is also very common among children and can cause problems like headaches, TMD, jaw pain, wear and tear. Take quick consultation from a doctor if they complain of jaw pain or sensitivity.