Find out which type of meditation is best for you. A small study of 20 participants reported a significant reduction in mild to moderate depression following yoga practice. Participants did two minute Hatha yoga sessions each week for eight weeks. Interested in yoga?
Read our definitive guide to yoga to get started. Talking to a therapist, counselor, or trusted friend may help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. If your stress is affecting your daily life, a psychiatrist may also prescribe medications to help reduce stress and anxiety, if needed. Try building daily activity into your life at first.
You may also need to explore a variety of activities to find one that helps you relax. Tongue and jaw muscle exercises can help you relax the jaw and facial muscles and maintain proper alignment of your jaw. You can try these at home or work with a physical therapist.
In extreme cases , problems chewing, speaking, and swallowing may also occur. The risk of complications from teeth grinding may increase if you have untreated bruxism for an extended period of time. Long-term complications may include:.
If you know you grind your teeth, or if you suspect teeth grinding may be to blame for pain or other symptoms, see a dentist.
They can examine your teeth for wear to determine if you grind them. They can also look at your bite and alignment. Depending on the suspected causes, your dentist may recommend seeing your doctor for the treatment of an underlying condition. Teeth grinding is a common condition with many possible causes. Treating it early is important to avoid significant dental complications. Your dentist and doctor are both good resources for diagnosing and treating bruxism.
Not all mouthguards are created equal. A few minutes of these exercises several times per day may help relax and stretch the muscles involved in tooth grinding and clenching. To develop a specific exercise routine, talk with your doctor or dentist. A referral to a physical therapist can provide an opportunity to work hands-on to create a regimen of mouth exercises.
This can ensure that you do the exercises properly to avoid injury and get the maximum level of muscle relaxation. Some patients benefit from head-and-neck massages to relieve muscle tension and pain points related to teeth grinding. A massage therapist or physical therapist may provide massage or demonstrate techniques that can be used at home to relax the jaw and nearby muscles. Not everyone with sleep bruxism needs treatment, but when there are frequent symptoms of morning headaches and jaw pain, unrefreshing sleep, or risk for long-term damage to teeth, a number of treatment options may be considered.
Mouthguards, sometimes called night guards or dental splints, are worn during sleep to combat teeth grinding. Some mouthguards also place the jaw in a slightly open position, allowing the masseter muscles chewing muscles to relax all night. Another type of mouthpiece is a mandibular advancement device MAD , which is best known for its use to reduce chronic snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.
A MAD is held in place by the teeth and positions the lower jaw forward, helping to keep the airway open and in some cases limiting the extent of teeth grinding. This is typically used when bruxism is present with sleep apnea. Some mouthguards and MADs are available over-the-counter and can be adjusted to fit your mouth, but many patients get custom mouthpieces that are molded by a dentist. Stress is a common contributor to teeth grinding , so relaxation techniques are a natural approach to help.
Employing relaxation methods can be a big part of sleep hygiene , and getting better sleep can empower a person to respond to stress in a healthier way. In certain refractory and severe cases that persist despite conventional treatment, medications may be considered by a healthcare professional. Medications for bruxism may not be effective, and all have potential side effects. Several types of medications, including botox injections, may be considered when teeth grinding is severe.
These medications work by trying to decrease activity in the facial muscles. Discuss the risks and benefits of bruxism treatment options with your healthcare provider prior to starting treatment. Bed partners are often distracted by the noise of teeth grinding and have a hard time getting the sleep they need.
Several steps may help avoid this disruption and sleep better:. Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute. Truong is a Stanford-trained sleep physician with board certifications in sleep and internal medicine.
Teeth grinding, referred to as bruxism, is a common problem for both children and adults. While teeth grinding or teeth clenching more commonly occurs at night, called nocturnal bruxism, some people suffer from bruxism while they are awake. This is a problem because both teeth grinding at night and diurnal , or daytime bruxism, wears down your tooth enamel, causes sensitivity, and can even cause temporal mandibular disorder TMD.
If you find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth during the daytime, you may suffer from daytime bruxism. There are many reasons why you may be clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth during the day.
The most common include:. Chronic teeth grinding and teeth clenching during the day can result in the fracture, loosening, or even the loss of teeth. A sleep medicine specialist can conduct more tests, such as a sleep study that will assess for episodes of teeth grinding and determine if you have sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
If anxiety or other psychological issues seem related to your teeth grinding, you may be referred to a licensed therapist or counselor. In many cases, treatment isn't necessary.
Many kids outgrow bruxism without treatment, and many adults don't grind or clench their teeth badly enough to require therapy. However, if the problem is severe, options include certain dental approaches, therapies and medications to prevent more tooth damage and relieve jaw pain or discomfort.
If you or your child has bruxism, your doctor may suggest ways to preserve or improve your teeth. Although these methods may prevent or correct the wear to your teeth, they may not stop the bruxism:. In general, medications aren't very effective for treatment of bruxism, and more research is needed to determine their effectiveness. Examples of medications that may be used for bruxism include:. You may start by seeing your dentist or your primary care doctor. In some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred to a sleep medicine specialist.
Be ready to answer questions from your doctor so that you can spend time on areas you want to focus on.
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