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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask if you have any advice for me regarding teeth grinding at night?

24 replies

cherrypez · 09/04/2014 00:44

My dd is 12 and grinds her teeth at night. She is in the bedroom next to me, both doors open at night, and the sound makes me feel sick. I'm worried she's going to damage them...I lay cringing at the scraping and crunching...anybody got any advice or cured a grinder?

OP posts:

steff13 · 09/04/2014 00:55

They sell mouth guards for grinding at the pharmacy. I've not used one, but I've seen them. I think they're silicone, and they just cover your teeth so you can't grind them together. They look similar to mouth guards you use for sports.

wowfudge · 09/04/2014 00:57

I was going to answer 'take them out' based purely on the title of your post . It's quite common to grind your teeth. I'd talk to your GP about it to make sure you get something appropriate for her. Also to document it in case it worsens and so on.

goldenlula · 09/04/2014 00:58

If you speak to your dentist they can get a mouth guard made to fit. I have had three made for me over the years. They definitely help.

CuttedUpPear · 09/04/2014 01:08

Dentist, mouth guard. Really good.

VenusDeWillendorf · 09/04/2014 01:21

Dentist, mouth guard, no grinding!

lessonsintightropes · 09/04/2014 01:25

Fwiw I've had this for years. It's treatable on the NHS. I had casts taken and was given a mouth guard to sleep with which at least gives DH some peace - contact your dentist, once it settles in it is hard to change - I still have to use it when I'm under pressure at work. Good luck OP.

DaleyBum · 09/04/2014 01:44

Agree, mouth guard. I grind my teeth at night and wake up with a splitting headache. Some of my teeth have been ground to points

purplepenguin86 · 09/04/2014 02:18

The dentist made me a mouth guard for this. Unfortunately I took it out every night in my sleep so it did no good, but it's worth trying one!

ShadowsCollideWithPeople · 09/04/2014 02:26

I've been a grinder my whole life, I also clench my jaw in my sleep. I recently bought a mouth guard from the pharmacy (probably better to go to the dentist, it's just not in my budget at the moment) and it's amazing. I woke up without an aching jaw and a headache for the first time in years after using it just once. Now I won't go to sleep without it. Can't recommend it highly enough!

Wabbitty · 09/04/2014 07:02

At 12 she is too young for a mouth guard from the dentist.

Marylou62 · 09/04/2014 07:45

I agree on a mouth guard. My husband eventually lost some healthy teeth because of grinding. (said the dentist).

Kundry · 09/04/2014 08:03

Teeth = dentist not GP.

Take her now - I'd ground the tops off all my canines and incisors by 28 due to relentless grinding. My chronic headaches also miraculously disappeared when I started wearing the mouthguard.

You need a properly fitted guard not one from the pharmacist.

Xenadog · 09/04/2014 08:17

I'm going through this at the moment and I am really suffering. I've ground my teeth since I was a child and now, at 40, they are a mess. My teeth have been under pressure every night for many years and so now they are so soft they will crumble! I wear a mouth guard fitted by the dentist (have to get a new one after about 7 months as I wear a hole in it) and suffer from incredible neck and shoulder pain.

My next stop is hypnotism to help deal with the grinding - habit and stress induced I think - but I just wish I had had help when I was your daughter's age.

A mouth guard, fitted properly by a dentist, will not stop her grinding it will just help prevent damage to her teeth. I suggest you get a mouth guard first and then try to figure out why she is grinding and tackle that.

Good luck.

TeacupDrama · 09/04/2014 10:08

dentist here, she needs to see dentist not GP often grinding teeth in night ias stress related but not always, she almost certainly needs a custom made nightguard ( can't say fro sure as not seen your DD) the guard will not stop the grinding but will stop wear on the teeth and will help with pressure on jaw joint, however this is treating the symptoms not the disease which is Why is she grinding in the first place

by grinding teeth you can cause nerve damage in tooth and get toothache type pain so you think there must be a hole when actually the pain is coming from a traumatised nerve

TeacupDrama · 09/04/2014 10:09

at 12 she is not too young for guard from dentist wabbity

Original poster

cherrypez · 09/04/2014 14:04

Thanks to all who have posted. Some great advice, and you have confirmed my worries that it does cause damage :( She has recently moved the position of her bed which is why I think I'm suddenly noticing it more. Will book a dentist appt ASAP as I can't face listening to it much more, imaging the surface of her teeth being ground down. She has beautiful teeth, I want them to stay that way!

OP posts:

goodasitgets · 09/04/2014 14:13

Definitely mouth guard. I clench my teeth and sleep in one at night. Although I have to replace it fairly often because I chew through it

rootypig · 09/04/2014 14:20

cherry given her age take her to the dentist and ask about being referred to an orthodontist. My aunt is a North American trained orthodontist and treated me for this in my teens. It's much more recognised there that grinding can be TMJ / TMD (google it!) ie have a physiological cause. Layperson's explanation of a common scenario - if the top and bottom teeth / jaw don't fit together as they should when the mouth is relaxed, this can cause the jaw to work. A course of orthodontics can correct the underlying problem and save her a lifetime of issues.

Of course it may be that this isn't the case - but read up / ask your dentist.

And she is not only damaging her teeth but wearing out the hinge joint of her jaw and undermining the quality of her sleep.

StarGazeyPond · 09/04/2014 16:28

Of course she's not too young wabbity - my son had one when he was 11.........it saved his teeth.

FanFuckingTastic · 09/04/2014 16:30

My son does this. He's currently mostly baby teeth still, but as an adult grinder I know you can get a fitted mouth guard, so intend on raising it with the dentist soon. The sound is blood chilling, but he seems to be eating in his sleep and enjoying it, so I feel bad nudging him to try and discourage it. I often wonder what it is he is dream eating that tastes so good that he smacks his chops so much.

FrontForward · 09/04/2014 16:33

I was thinking of posting to ask advice on daytime grinding. Don't fancy a mouth guard during the day. Any ideas?

Mrsmorton · 09/04/2014 16:40

Mouth guards aren't generally so good in children as they are growing rapidly and rigid guards (which are the best for grinding) are too rigid.

Most people are conscious enough to not grind their teeth whilst they are awake so day time guards are rare and a slightly different ball game to night time ones.

Fwiw most children grow out of this, sounds hideous though!

TattyDevine · 09/04/2014 16:59

I used to do this and had a "splint" as the dentist called it, which was a rigid mouth guard he charged a fortune for and no doubt funded one of his ski holidays with

Then I moved the UK and away from my darling mother, bless her, and I didn't grind my teeth anymore and don't need it.

She was so frakkin hard to live with! But she's fine from a distance!!!

Mitchell2 · 09/04/2014 17:05

My husband does this - and he is 35. The only thing that made it subside was wearing a mouth guard. Unfortunately he only wears it occasionally - the noise of it actually wakes me some nights. Pisses me right off.

Best to get it sorted now, as it can lead no only to teeth damage but also can lead to tension in the jaw and headaches during the day if not treated.

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