Help me stop clenching my teeth at night!!!

[opalescent]

This is causing me huge problems....I have had a never ending stream of issues with my mouth over recent months, and I'm sure it's down to clenching.
Dentists have noticed this previously, but it seems to have been a minor issue that is now coming to a head.
I have lost teeth, and looking back, I think clenching has been a contributing factor.

It's really hurting my teeth, and causing me daily discomfort now 😩.

I wear a mouth guard, but that just seems to give me something nice and chewy to really gnash into...I'm taking 10mg amitriptyline at night, but definitely still clenching.

Anyone been through this and have a wonder solution?🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Very hopeful bump!!!!

Ahhh OP I went through a clenching stage after I gave birth. My teeth would ache for hours after I got up, I couldn’t chew until midday when it was really bad. Mine stopped weirdly when I changed my sleeping position, I always slept on my side with two pillows but after I pulled a muscle in my back it couldn’t take that position so I was forced to sleep on my back with one pillow and it literally stopped that same night.
DH thinks the pain of my back distracted me in my sleep 🤷🏼‍♀️
Worth noting that I was also very anxious and sleep derived during the clench period which lasted about 8 months.

I keep on top of my tooth clenching with a few physio sessions every year where they massage out the muscles in my jaw that are clenching. Haven’t broken a tooth in years!

I have a lot of mouth and jaw issues and I know its stress related. It's worse when I'm anxious, stressed and tired. Being hydrated, calm and eating regularly tends to help.

You could be referred to a TMJ clinic at your local hospital? Ask your dentist.

I found a change in pillow really helped weirdly enough

I would second seeing a physio - I have this problem too and a physio session definitely helps stop the grinding for a few months... You could also try neck and shoulder exercises to loosen any tension there that might be causing it? I grind my teeth at night and sometimes catch myself doing it when I'm working on the computer too - clearly need to chill out!

Hey @opalescent how are you now?

Hi @HermionePotter123. I had a really rough year with my teeth last year, I suspect impacted by the whole covid stress, plus a particularly hideous job that I was in at the time!

I needed numerous trips to the dentist, and had two particular teeth that hurt most days throughout the whole year.

Fortunately things do seem to have eased over the last few weeks. My dentist says that bruxism often flares up in a cyclical way; I have also changed to a lovely new job.

I am getting a hard acrylic mouth splint next week, as my new dentist feels that soft guards tend to exacerbate things, and I am inclined to agree.

I tried numerous things last year, including Bowen therapy, hypnotherapy and Botox- but honestly the only thing that really seems to have helped is actively reducing the stress in my life, by changing jobs.

Are you struggling with the same issue?

I’m surprised Botox didn’t help, maybe the dose wasn’t high enough? I find it’s the only thing that works for me, I get it once every 3-4 months.

@MolotovMocktail possibly. Do you know what dose you have?

150 units each side I think, it’s pretty high.

Or maybe 150 total, not sure sorry!

Yes @opalescent I've been looking at mumsnet for posts on tmjd and I could have written yours word for word. Like you I feel the pain primarily in teeth and gums (had one removed due to clenching). Does your pain be one sided or both sides? Mines has always been on the left but the past week it's now on the right too but more on the actual jaw joint of that side if that makes sense. I'm really glad that yours seems to be settling a bit. You really have been through the mill going by your other posts. I'm getting a michigan splint fitted this week too. Out of all the complimentary therapies, did you find anything helped? And would your teeth ever snap randomly when drifting off to sleep? Sorry for all the questions, but your experience is practically identical to mine.

@HermionePotter123 I'd love to know how you get on with your Michigan splint! My dentist has said that would be the next step, if my hard splint doesn't help.

My pain has always been primarily on the left too, but yes, it can bounce between the two. I think the pain in my teeth got worse after the extraction- my bite seems to be off these days, my teeth don't feel like they fit together as they should any more!

Of the complementary therapies I tried, I think seeing a chiropractor was the most soothing in general, but it really didn't seem to to help my teeth.

I sympathise 100%

I can reassure you though, that mine seems to have eased off (touchwood!), after a flare of over 12 months in duration. Really hoping it stays that way

There is a bruxism support group on Facebook that I have found helpful

Are you wearing a splint at all at the moment @HermionePotter123?

I'm the same. I have cracked 8 teeth because of it, I wake up and my jaw and teeth ache where I've been clenching them, the dentist made me a shield but I take it out when I'm asleep and I find it in the bed!!

I'm pretty unhappy with my weight over the last year so I'm going to start eating healthily again and lose weight to see if that helps, I'm not sure if it can be linked but it's worth a go.

Ah it must be a hard plane splint you're getting. They are meant to be good. I haven't got the splint yet, it's been made but need to go collect it from the dentist and get it fitted. I'm a bit apprehensive about wearing it tbh as I'm worried it will somehow make the pain worse/make the jaw more misaligned. I will definitely give it a go though as i've already cracked at least one molar from clenching (the one I had out) and I suspect the tooth above it is also cracked. What teeth did you have to get removed if you don't mind me asking? Mines was a lower first molar. I really hope mines goes away too, as I've had it since last May. It's literally only went away once for 4 weeks then returned when I had a root canal done. How do you manage eating? Have you found any medications helped? My gp prescribed amitriptyline also but bit wary about taking it. I know what you mean about the feeling your teeth don't fit properly. Mines often feel misaligned after brushing them for some reason.

Sorry to hear you're going through similar @Gertie75. It sucks doesn't it. Have you tried magnesium? Apparently that's meant to help reduce clenching. I've been taking it about 2 weeks and haven't really noticed much difference yet but some people swear by it

I’m the same. Had it for years. Had all different types of mouth guards but nothing changed. I cannot sleep without it though or the pain is awful.
I do find that if I sleep on my back gravity kicks in and my mouth opens so that helps. But. I always move onto my side when I’m asleep so that’s not helpful either. I just live with it

@Paranoidandroidmarvin1350 what kind of guard do you currently have? I tried sleeping on my back for a while as I did find it helped with the jaw pain but there were times that back sleeping would cause my mouth to suddenly open and snap shut like a snapping turtle. It would always happen just as I'm drifting off to sleep. Can you eat normally or are you on a soft diet?

I had the soft mouth guard but I bit cracks in it. So now just have a hard one from the dentist. I think it is getting worse as time goes on though. I wake up with a headache and my face hurts every morning. But still eating normally.