Teeth grinding

nda_roxybabe · March 2010

When I went to the dentist last month he mentioned it looks like I've been grinding my teeth. I had never grinded my teeth in the past but I have noticed in the past year or so that I do wake up clenching my teeth. The dentist suggest a mouth guard (0ver $500). I'm wondering if the mouth guards you can get at cvs do any good?

luckyme502 · March 2010

I think the headaches are related. I grind my teeth while I sleep when I am stressed. I will wake myself up doing it and my jaw will hurt all day and I will get headaches. I have never tried a mouth guard, as it usually passes when the stress does.

nda_roxybabe · March 2010

I don't think I've been especially stressed lately. It just seems the grinding may be taking a toll.

sweetviolet · March 2010

In Response to Re: Teeth grinding:
[QUOTE I'm concerned because I've noticed I've been clenching my teeth during the day as well and I'm geting awful headached so I wonder if it is related.
Posted by nda_roxybabe[/QUOTE]

Could be. When I first started seeing my osteopath (also for headaches), one of the first questions he asked me was if I grind my teeth. I don't know what the treatment is since my answer was no, but he did say that the two can be related. Hope this helps.

nda_roxybabe · March 2010

I'm going to get a mouth guard tomorrow and see how it goes.

KentuckyKate · March 2010

I am a horrible grinder and clencher. I ended up with a $400 mouth guard from the dentist, because I would grind right through the drugstore ones. Now I have no mouthguard, because my dog got it and chewed it up, but the one I had from the dentist was more comfortable and worked better. I am going to get a drugstore one soon as just a quick fix, and eventually invest in a professional one again.

Then again, I am an extreme case. I clench so hard I get morning lockjaw several times a week and can't open my mouth all the way until I do relaxation and muscle control exercises for about an hour. Also, I have constant headaches, and my jaw clicks and pops like no other. If your dentist is just now noticing it, I would say to try one from the drugstore first.

nda_roxybabe · March 2010

Thanks for all the help

I wonder why I have started grinding. I don't really think I am that stressed. I sucked my thumb for a long, long time maybe this is my replacement for that haha

KentuckyKate · March 2010

Oh also, my dentist wrote me a Rx for Flexeril, which is a mild muscle relaxant. I get the $4 generic for it at Walmart (Cyclobenzaprine) and when I take it before bed, I cut back on the grinding a ton.

luckyme502 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teeth-grinding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:6285bc89-6bed-4a6d-9ab5-9957a71a4af8Post:21317980-7120-4cb2-9dab-22de3819fcd9">Re: Teeth grinding</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks for all the help :) I wonder why I have started grinding. I don't really think I am that stressed. I sucked my thumb for a long, long time maybe this is my replacement for that haha
Posted by nda_roxybabe[/QUOTE]

I have anxiety disorder, but as my doctor just reminded me, your body cannot tell the difference between good stress and bad stress. I'm excited about the wedding, but my body doesn't know that it's good stress. I'm just glad I haven't started grinding my teeth lately, because it sucks! Good luck with the mouth guard!

nda_roxybabe · March 2010

Maybe its just too much going through my mind my teeth can't keep up

luckyme502 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teeth-grinding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:6285bc89-6bed-4a6d-9ab5-9957a71a4af8Post:0e7acd45-6509-4165-ab9e-b00d80931de8">Re: Teeth grinding</a>:
[QUOTE]Maybe its just too much going through my mind my teeth can't keep up
Posted by nda_roxybabe[/QUOTE]

That is my problem and why I am still awake instead of asleep in bed, where I should be!

JessAndTrav · March 2010

I have a problem with the same thing. I used to clench my teeth when I was concentrating. My dentist told me to start paying attention when I was concentrating and check myself for clenching my teeth. Sure enough, I caught myself doing it ALL THE FREAKING TIME.

Anyway, I do it much less now, though I still do it sometimes.

I've never used the trays from CVS, but I will say that clenching/grinding your teeth is frequently the cause of headaches.

Between that, my eyes, my TMJ and my back problems, I almost always have a headache. I feel your pain.

cukimerrydoll · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teeth-grinding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:6285bc89-6bed-4a6d-9ab5-9957a71a4af8Post:bdb66262-890d-436f-bc59-d7246da1eacc">Re: Teeth grinding</a>:
[QUOTE]IDK but it's worth a try. I don't think they will fit as comfy as the dentist ones though.
Posted by ricksang[/QUOTE]
If you cut the ends and boil it, it form fits to the shape of your teeth/gums a lot better. We used to do this for karate all the time.

ac_in_dc · March 2010

Good luck. Yeah, you may as well try the cheap mouth guard before getting one from the dentist.

Luckily I don't grind my teeth anymore, but about 10 years ago I started clenching my teeth terribly. To the point where I got my first cavity by literally cracking one of my back molars. Mine was related to both stress and some antidepressant medications I had started taking (jaw clenching was a side effect). So if you're on some new medications you may want to look at the side effects.

jasmineh7777 · March 2010

I'm late to this, but oddly I just bought one of these yesterday. It was $20 at walmart, and I had to boil it and then form it to my teeth. I thought it would be hard to sleep with it in, but it wasn't at all. This is the first time in a while that my jaw isn't killing me this morning.
I also clench my teeth during the day, don't have a solution for that yet though.

Teeth grinding

Re: Teeth grinding

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