An article in the New York Times last month, A Lineman in My Bed: Notes on Teeth Grinding, talked about sleep bruxism, which refers to grinding or clenching teeth while asleep.
A dentist explains that during sleep bruxism,
“the upper and lower teeth may come into direct contact as much as 40 minutes per hour, and — for example, on the first molar — with a force of about 250 pounds. Hence the football player. Compare that with normal circumstances, when a person’s teeth make contact for about 20 minutes a day, while chewing, and with only 20 to 40 pounds of pressure.”
I know I’ve had time when I grind my teeth. Had no idea I had a football player in my mouth!
Here’s an earlier post on relaxing the jaw, with a couple of natural (non-drug) how to tips. I want to make sure to follow these because I suspect sleep bruxism has affected my bite — and hence brought me to my current state of wearing braces — and also I want to minimize the effect AFTER I get them off!
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January 5, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Sarah
Thank you so much for this! Ive been suffering from teeth grinding at night too. It comes and goes depending on how my teeth are moving and how much pain I’m in from the movement. I clench my teeth during these phases too, which is equally as bad. I was so afraid Id chip my teeth but my ortho said there wasnt really anything he could do.
I came to your blog looking for info like this because I figured you must have written something helpful about it and voila! Here it is! I’m glad to have the natural techniques you mentioned to help when my grinding and clenching phases come around again, as they no doubt will during the next 12 months!
Ive found your blog really helpful and supportive, which Ive mentioned before in another comment. I just wanted to say thanks.
January 8, 2008 at 1:16 pm
wakowa
Welcome, Sarah. And please share whether certain techniques are especially helpful and effective for you, in terms of teeth grinding/clenching.
January 17, 2008 at 1:37 am
Geneva Dental Implant
Very helpful! teeth grinding or Bruxism can be avoided by means of the jaw exercises. your site is really full of information.
DR. Timothy Driscoll, DDS
Geneva Dentist
January 26, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Sarah
Unfortunately I haven’t discovered that one *guaranteed fix* we’d all love to have. Ive found, though, that the simple passage of time helps. For instance, I’m more prone to grinding for a few weeks after a new wire, when the moving and tension is at it’s worst.
During this period Ive discovered that sleep position can make a difference, at least for me. There isn’t one particular position that helps, rather its the changing of positions that seems to relieve the grinding. If I find that I’m waking up on my stomach and my jaw / teeth hurt from grinding, I’ll try sleeping on my back. If I wake up on my back and my jaw hurts, I sleep on my stomach. Anything to break up the habitual tensing of my shoulder, neck, and face muscles that my body has gotten used to.
Also, grinding is exacerbated by pain and discomfort caused by the braces. For me, the worst pain is from sores and dryness. If I drink water to help the dryness and use my Morgan Bumper (bracket guard) to keep my cheeks from being mangled, the pain and discomfort subsides and the grinding stops.
Wish I could offer the ultimate cure, but until someone comes up with one hopefully these suggestions will help others.
February 14, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Teeth Grinding
I found your blog post via Google blog search while searching for Teeth Grinding and your post regarding “sleep bruxism: teeth grinding, jaw clenching” looks very interesting to me and it is also very creative. I have a teeth website of my own and I must say that your blog is really good. Keep up the great work on a really high class resource.
Lots of people complain about gnashing their teeth during sleep, more or less intensely; this type of teeth grinding is considered a medical condition called bruxism, and it equally affects children and adults. Teeth grinding can affect the condition of the natural enamel of the teeth allowing for the entering of the bacteria in the deep dental layers. Varying from mild to severe forms that require treatment, bruxism is not necessarily limited to night manifestations, as there are people who often gnaw their teeth at daytime too. Regular dental care and checks with a health care provider are the best ways to achieve a proper teeth condition, however, one also needs to deal with the causes that trigger teeth grinding in the first place.
February 15, 2008 at 12:28 pm
wakowa
Thanks for the positive feedback, Teeth Grinding, and for more info on teeth grinding.
Also, a belated thanks to SARAH for sharing her own experience.
June 30, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Natural Treatment for Teeth Jaw Clenching
[...] sleep bruxism: teeth grinding, jaw clenching [...]
December 22, 2011 at 11:21 am
ida
Hi! I have a mild bruxism but it does not bother me that much! The problem is I have room mates who would wake up whenever I grind my teeth. They are annoyed. They actually “bully” me about it. So I did find a simple way by avoiding my teeth clenching during sleep. Retainers…
I read about it through internet though I did not undergo any treatment. At first, I made an experiment by wearing it at night. Later on, they didn’t notice that I grind my teeth anymore. For me, it was effective.