Help! Hoe to stop pushing my tongue against my teeth at night!

[retryy]

It started a couple of years ago after the birth of my baby ( not sure there's a link but that's when it started). I push my tongue really hard against my top teeth when I sleep and because it's happening every night all night I now have an overbite and need braces. I wake up with a really really tense neck and shoulders and it's affecting my sleep as I feel unrefreshed when I wake up.
I have googled and don't know what the hell to do. There's nothing out there to help. I really need to stop doing this. I don't do this during the day so don't know why I do it at night. I'm really worried and it's really affecting me.
Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks

This happened to me, I would wake up in agony! The only way I could fix it was to get braces to realign my bite and now I wear retainers every night so this can’t happen.

Even if you can’t get the braces, could you get a mouth guard made up at the dentist? I think I was only about £300 for mine?

My friend did this, she did eventually have braces and then she wore a retainer. You need a retainer as that will stop you being able to put any force against the teeth. An orthodontist could advise.

Ps she has model teeth now!

Yes I have been to the dentist but I have an issue with the gum at the top which he wants to treat and resolve then he'll give me braces.

But is there an actual way of stopping doing it in the first place! I don't want to be doing it when I've got the retainers in too. I wake up with a really sore neck and back because I'm tensing all the time. It's affecting my sleep too.

AGirlHasNoShame did you still do this with rh retainers in? Are you pushing against the retainers?

I would try taking a magnesium supplement before bed, to help relax the muscles (400mg recommended daily dose).

OP I still do it very occasionally during the day, I catch myself but my neck, shoulders and jaw never hurt in the morning anymore. I suspect aligning my teeth properly has stopped the issue plus I feel more relaxed now knowing my teeth can’t get any worse as I have the retainers in which probably makes me do it less if you see what I mean?

This might be helpful, but I think you need a dentist or orthodontist who is knowledgeable in this area to get help:

www.healthline.com/health/tongue-thrust