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Original poster

Dental question...teeth grinding ?

22 replies

Aelfrith · 11/02/2014 15:42

I think I grind/clench my teeth at night. My teeth ache a lot in the mornings and I know I have habit of clenching them during the day. My dentist quoted me £300 for a little plastic thing that just goes over your two front teeth to stop this. But I really can't afford that, is there a cheaper alternative?

OP posts:
Original poster
Aelfrith · 11/02/2014 19:12

Bump. Anyone?

OP posts:
shoom · 11/02/2014 19:14

It sounds like a custom made device. You could try an off-the-shelf version first. Be aware that for some people , wearing the device causes more teeth clenching than without. Look for "bruxism" online for ideas.

Are you generally stressed?

shoom · 11/02/2014 19:16

You can try exercises - open your mouth fully, as though getting dental treatment, then consciously relax your jaw. Can you feel a difference, i.e. it's moor relaxed than normal? Try getting your jaw used to the feeling of properly relaxing.

shoom · 11/02/2014 19:17

more relaxed!

2kidsintow · 11/02/2014 21:35

I read on here that you can get them at the chemists, but that they won't be as good as the custom fit ones.

Just thinking but.... would a sports guard work as well. You can get ones that you heat in hot water and they mould to fit your teeth so they are better than the standard shaped ones.

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 11/02/2014 21:38

I have this teeth grinding thing. I had a custom one until it wore out; just bought two bog-standard ones from Amazon for under £2.
There's a fitting procedure - you dunk them in hot water, fit them to your teeth, etc. Not sure whether it will be as simple as the instructions make it sound but at that price ...
Also bear in mind that you can trim them to fit, using scissors. So you can make them shorter, and narrower, if necessary.
Worth a try?

Original poster
Aelfrith · 11/02/2014 22:23

Thanks everyone!

Yes I am quite stressed and I know that makes it worse.

OP posts:
IDismyname · 11/02/2014 22:28

Be very careful, Aelfrith - my DS has had awful, awful problems with TMJD brought on by clenching his teeth at night. He's been in pain for about 2.5 years. He had terrible headaches which at one point we thought was a brain tumour. His teeth were on the point of splintering.

He now wears one of those little braces that your dentist has suggested, although it costs more like £150 from his maxiliofacial consultant.

I'd get it dealt with properly (ie a dentist), but maybe shop around for the best price?

vaseoftulips · 11/02/2014 22:33

I've had this in the past when I've been really stressed.

I would look at dealing with the core issue personally. Hypnotherapy, meditation, relaxation, yoga, chamomile tea and Kalms will all help.

Mrsmorton · 12/02/2014 00:33

I'm a dentist and I paid a friend £280 to make one of these for me. The issue is finding someone with the specialist knowledge to make one. The NHS don't value this knowledge and aren't interested in this sort of thing. I'm sad for you op because it's so expensive but these things make a huge difference

I would be very wary of buying one online, they can affect your bite massively and make problems far worse. This device needs to be trimmed so that the teeth are equally loaded in all excursions and so that your back teeth aren't touching at all. I'm not confident you could do that in your own home.

Is your dentist private or NHS? Can you remember the name of the thing they advised you to have?

DietofWorms · 12/02/2014 00:44

Just getting in on this because I think I do this too... (sorry OP)

Lioninthesun · 12/02/2014 00:48

I had an ex who did this - your teeth can literally crumble after years of it. Not to mention the noise [anger] You can get gum shields from the dentist to wear at night (although I imagine normal sport gum shields are a lot cheaper, as long as you trim them properly so they are comfortable) which are meant to protect your teeth. I'm not a dental professional though, and having used the gum shields after braces, I can confirm sleeping in them isn't easy. Hope you can sort it out one way or another.

Lioninthesun · 12/02/2014 00:51

Oooh, I just had a thought - are you with an NHS dentist? I spoke to mine briefly about teeth whitening and she said she would make up moulds for me if I was still interested - much the same as the guard I was given with my braces. I didn't follow it up in the end (had DD) but perhaps worth a try too if you don't fancy getting a sports one and trying it first?

fledtoscotland · 12/02/2014 01:49

I have a custom made bite guard and it cost £59 as an nhs patient. I'm slowly wearing my teeth down so it fits over my bottom teeth

Monty27 · 12/02/2014 01:52

Oh I didn't know about the guards, I've got a wrecked tooth at the top very back because of this.

OP get it sorted because I'm going to lose that tooth, it's wobbly and everything :(

Original poster
Aelfrith · 12/02/2014 09:53

Thanks everyone again.

mrsmorton the dentist (private) recommends a thing called a 'NTI -TSS' a little clip that just fits over the two front teeth but keeps the rear ones apart.

But the Bruxism Uk website says their value is not confirmed by research.

I'm mainly worried about choking on it...it's quite small.

OP posts:
fledtoscotland · 12/02/2014 10:38

OP -my dentist never suggested anything like that. I too would worry re choking. My bite guard certainly is sturdy and I couldn't swallow it

Mrsmorton · 12/02/2014 12:19

It's a great device and you're highly unlikely to choke on it because they fit tightly.

Some people get soft guards made which IMO are worse than nothing but they are very cheap so I can see the attraction.

I have the Ni TSS and it's worked wonders for me, obviously that's only anecdotal evidence!

Original poster
Aelfrith · 12/02/2014 14:08

Ah mrsmorton but an anecdote from a dentist who uses one herself and is a MNetter is worth something!

Thanks so much for replying. I think i will get one ...I'll have to chuck it on my credit card but if it sorts my aching teeth and face it'll be worth it!

OP posts:
SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 13/02/2014 23:15

Took me ages to get used to sleeping with a mouthguard and to begin with I was really worried I would choke on it. Over time I got used to it though and tbh putting it in has become a subliminal signal to my brain to shut down and go to sleep - weirdly relaxing!

flow4 · 13/02/2014 23:48

I have a custom-made soft(ish) bite guard, on the NHS. I've had 3 so far (the dog ate one - seriously): the first was free because I got free dental treatment at the time; the replacement cost me about £120 and the third, which I needed because I'd ground my way through the other in 18 months or so, was about £50.

It is absolutely fantastic - far and away the most useful NHS treatment I have had so far, childbirth apart. Before my teeth-grinding was identified, I had such bad facial pain and such disturbed sleep that I had been investigated for sinusitis, nerve problems, sleep apnea and even a brain tumor. :( Then a facial consultant spotted my worn-down teeth, diagnosed bruxism, and wrote to my dentist about getting me a bite guard. All my nasty symptoms have gone, except for facial tension. It's great, and I don't now think I could sleep without it!

PeterSpots · 20/04/2015 12:24

hello flow4 I would be interested in hearing from you. I too have had facial pain, so far I've seen a neurologist but all fine there so a dentist has said I have been clenching after months of stress. What was your face pain like, mine is pressure and slight tingling by lip and across cheek. What facial consultant did you see?

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