Teeth grinding - advised to use a mouth guard?

[Fagin99]

Hi everyone,

I tried a new dentist last night, and they said that there is evidence that I'm teeth grinding (probably at night). They said they could see a bit of damage, but not enough to warrant treatment.

They recommended I wear a mouth guard at night! Call me silly, but I just don't really like the idea of wearing one (it would also cost £100 to make!).

Has anyone else been told that they grind their teeth? Apparently it's quite common. Do you wear a mouth guard? Or have you found anything that helped?

For sure this has been caused by significant, long-term stress over the past few years. Maybe it's time just to start the yoga again!

Thanks all :-)

I used to grind mine. I had a mouth guard but hated it. To be fair, they are moulded to fit to your teeth so it's not like wearing a sports mouth guard, but I was quite aware of it and it made me snore and my breath smell worse because I slept with my mouth open when wearing it.

I think it is stress related. Since quitting my low-level but consistently stressful job, I havent been wearing it but the dentist hasn't mentioned grinding for a while.

Yep I've used a mouth guard for years. If you don't use one then you can wear down your teeth or even break them so it's definitely a good idea. The amount of pressure tooth grinding puts on your teeth is insane, and it's cheaper to do the guard than pay for treatment if you snap a tooth
I have the mould for mine now so I just pay £60 when I need a new guard which is maybe once a year as I chew through them

I have a mouthguard at night, and have ground through three of them. You can buy cheaper ones online that you boil and then bite so they fit your teeth but they tend to be less comfortable and are more obvious that you're wearing them. Depending on your stress levels, there's some medications that are good for stopping grinding but that also depends on whether it's a temporary blip in your life or a fixture (in terms of the stress/grinding) - so possibly see your GP depending on how manageable your stress is otherwise.

The issue with not treating grinding is it can do damage to your teeth, e.g. cause cracking teeth, so in the long run its a bit of a gamble to ignore it. Did your dentist advise you to not chew gum or change other things in your lifestyle? Because I grind a lot, my jaw muscles are very strong which means I'm more likely to damage my teeth, so giving up gum means I'm not over-exercising my jaw in my waking hours. Grinding teeth is also called bruxism, so might be worth an internet search for other tips. It's a bugger as it affects deep sleep too. There's no getting away from mouthguards being aesthetically unpleasing to wear, but you get used to them.

I do wear a mouth guard when I sleep.
I have pretty bad tooth erosion on my back teeth and was told for years by my old dentist that I probably drank too much cola! Luckily I have a good friend who happens to be a dentist. She pointed out it might have to do with tooth grinding during sleep.

It did explain why I sometimes woke up with a feeling of an exhausted jaw!

I noticed that even during the day I unconsciously grind my teerh sometimes when I am upset so stress is definetly a factor here. I now wear my mouth guard every night. I clean it every morning with a toothbrush and some handsoap under the tap. Once per week I give it a soak in water mixed with with those false teeth cleaning detergent.
I paid about £200 for mine (custome made for me by dental technician.

You may PM me if you need more info

I have worn one for years. I used to have ones made for me by the dentist, about £100. But I actually prefer the ones I bought on Amazon (they have a softer edge).

I cracked a tooth in half through grinding and clenching. I find I do it during the day too, and have to consciously influence l jaw about 100 times a day!

I’ve got one for the same reason and I hate it and find it hard to sleep with it in. Sometimes I just wear it for a few hours then wake up and whip it out which is apparently normal.

Try Botox in your Massetter muscles. Works a treat

I used to be woken up by my dh because I'd be grinding my teeth and it had waked him up.
My job was quite stressful, and we moved so I had a job change and he doesn't wake me up anymore.
I do however sometimes wake myself up because I snap my teeth closed and the feeling/ crash of it wakes me.
I have also woken up today to a blood blister on the inside of my mouth which I think is due to closing my mouth/or possibly grinding my teeth but catching the inside of my mouth.
This happens every few months and the blisters are always long and thin. I often wonder if I should have a guard as well.

My DH wears one every night. It's custom made and it has been an absolute asset! It stops him snoring. It stops him grinding his teeth. It stops him bumping his teeth together. It stops him moaning and it stops him puff, puff, puffing in his sleep!

He now sleeps better with it than without it. No problems with smelly breath and he cleans it every day leaving it soaking an a tub with retainer brite.

I noticed his teeth grinding. It's done so much damage to his teeth. The dentist had to put a special case to the NHS to do almost £3,000 of work to fix his teeth. Took 3 years and he still suffers.

Wear it to protect your teeth. It will save you a fortune in dentist fees and also stop pain.

I've worn one for years. The most cost effective way I've found of buying them is to find a local dental technician to take the mould and make multiple guards. I paid £35 for 4 last year, and they are far better than the £100 NHS ones I've always paid for.

@HalloweenCandyLeBonBon I'm looking into this now. What do you think of the evidence of bone damage from the underuse of the muscles? That worries me.

@hazeyjane which ones do you buy? I've had some from the dentist at great cost and they only seem to let a few months before I break them! (Presumably by grinding my teeth) was looking at them on amazon as thought it might be a cheaper alternative but didn't know which to try!

These were the ones I got, but they don't seem to do them anymore. They are much bigger than the dentists ones, but more difficult to chew through! There are loads of similar ones out there - basically the ones you have to mould in your mouth after putting in very hot water.

If you have evidence of wear due to grinding I would wear one

The problem with damage due to grinding is it's really hard to treat, because you lose the distance between your jaws and there's no space for any restorations, it's really complex. It's much better to prevent the damage than treat it

I would get one made by your dentist or a dental technician who's willing to take the impressions like twatting. Buying them online risks them not being even across your teeth, then you can get overeruption of certain teeth and it can affect your bite.

You will wear through your guards, but it's better to wear through a guard than your teeth!

I clench my teeth rather than grind - which I discovered after cracking a filling. It had never been picked up in six month checkups before, so I think I started doing it during a period of terrible stress after my partner was made redundant. I found it hard to get used to, gagging and slavering, so I wore it in the evenings watching TV to begin with, I actually set a timer and built up from ten minutes, to 20, and so on. The first night I wore it I must have taken it out during the night, but after that I have had no bother, and I don’t think I could sleep without it now.

I started with a soft guard for my upper teeth, but now have a more rigid one for my bottom teeth instead on my dentist’s advice. She has done the moulds/arranged for the guards to be made at the lab. I am on my third one now, mine seem to last about a year. I know it’s expensive, but I am really mindful that the alternative could cost even more in terms of money, broken teeth, and pain!

Thank @hazeyjane

Yes, a guard.
But the NHS do them for free....
I got mine last week

Mine has caused TMJ ! Really dont want that, believe me

Coincidentally I went to a new dentist for the first time today. He says that the 'root' cause of my dental problems over several decades has been grinding. If only I had known I wouldn't have lost so many teeth over the years - he tells me they have they literally crumbled away with lots of painful infections along the way. If only I had known and been able to receive proper treatment🙁

I also have a guard made by the dentist but have stopped using it recently. It seemed to help, but i don't like the feeling of it in my mouth:(

I am an NHS patient and had to pay for my guards. My dentist was kind enough to apply to the local health board for permission to make them on the NHS, so I paid something like £40 each time. (I am in Scotland so I know the system is different here. I would have gladly paid the private cost, my surgery is mixed, though, which was - from memory - about £200.)

I grind my teeth and clench my jaw at night I wale up with bad jaw pain most days. My dentist said I could have a moth guard but it’s cost £200 and may not help. His other advice was to stop being stressed, not that simple! I’m swapping dentists soon so will speak to the new one about it.

I wear one as I clench my teeth at night. It cost £300 and fits over my top front four teeth.

I clench rather than grind. After failing to get on with previous mouth guards I now have a lower jaw one which makes me gag less. I had to get used to it. I wear it periodically to break my habit when I start to wake up with jaw pain again. My dentist said teeth grinders have to wear it every night though.

I've been wearing an upper one for years - although my medication knocks me out so I don't feel it as such. I have cracks along my front teeth and am wearing down the others. You've nothing to lose by wearing it and it might make a difference down the road.

Yeah mine is a mix of grinding and clenching. If I don't wear my guard I wake myself up literally banging my teeth together and with a sore jaw

@TwattingDog the dosage isn't high enough to stop muscle use completely in my experience. I've had it done and it has reduced the clenching/made me more aware of it but I can still clench iyswim so the muscles don't atrophy completely