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Original poster

Teeth clenching at night - anyone manage to stop?

26 replies

Friendshipqn · 07/03/2022 08:04

I clench my teeth badly at night. My dentist says I’ll need to get fitted with a mouth guard, but I was wondering if that’s the only way?

He said it was quite expensive (!), and that the generic ones aren’t good. So the price is a factor, and also I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to tolerate wearing it.

Would love to hear any tips! Did anyone solve teeth clenching with or without a mouth guard?

OP posts:
MaryAndHerNet · 07/03/2022 08:12

In my experience, he's talking bollocks.

Go on Amazon, order a sports mouth guard. Don't buy the cheapest, spend around £10 or so.
Specifically look for ones that can be moulded.
When you get it, drop it in hot, but not boiling, water. take it out, put in mouth and close your mouth around it. The material will be pliable and it will shape itself around your teeth to give a damn near perfect fit.
Keep it in your mouth until it cools and sets, you'll feel it stiffen up.

Wear it as much as you can, not just at night. Of you try to wear it just at night, your body may react by producing excess saliva, it takes time to get used to it.
Eventually though, it'll become second nature.

I've had to go through this process a couple time to stop clenching and lockjaw and bruxism and chattering etc etc. (My jaw has a mind of its own I swear)

bluecampbell · 07/03/2022 08:27

I clench at night, sometimes so badly that I wake with a headache and a pain in my jaw. My dentist made me a mouth guard for top and bottom, but I only wear one at a time. It's such thin rubbery plastic that I don't feel it when it's in, and that was a concern of mine, that I would feel it and it would be uncomfortable. It's about 2mm thick, and clear, even my husband can't tell when I have it in. I seem to remember it cost about £70 for both. Hope this helps.

Hatepatronisingtwats · 07/03/2022 08:32

Have an £80 dentist made guard after buying a couple of DIY £20 ones from internet. The latter were a complete waste of money as they didn't fit correctly after all the boiling water stuff. Waste of money. My dentist one fits like a glove and I have kept the plaster mould of my teeth to make a cheaper replacement later. Wear it every night and can't sleep now if I don't have it in.

Francescaisstressed · 07/03/2022 08:37

The mouth guards you can buy and mould that have been suggested I found really not worth it.
There are far too big and clunky and I would remove them in my sleep.
Im getting once via my dentist - did yours say how much it was going to cost?

CaptainMyCaptain · 07/03/2022 08:38

I had one made by the dentist and it made me want to chew it so I'm not sure it helped. It also made my mouth taste foul by morning.

HazeyjaneIII · 07/03/2022 08:42

I've found the ones you mould at home to be too big and unwieldy to wear comfortably at night.
The one moulded by the dentist is very comfortable and I barely notice I've got it in, it cost around £90, which is a lot, but has prevented any further damage to my crappy teeth.
Ive clenched and ground my teeth for years, and had a tooth crack in half when I was pregnant (apparently clenching can be worse then)

3cats4poniesandababy · 07/03/2022 08:43

I have purchased one from my dentist. Think it was £175 for the complete custom moulded one. Only had it a week and so far so good. I get Beck pain due to teeth grinding and that has definitely improved already.

The ones you buy and drop in hot water are fairly useless but you can get ones where you are sent a kit and then they make you a custom one. I haven't researched those but they might be an option. When I had a look they were around £60.

tothefareast80 · 07/03/2022 08:44

The issue with normal mouth guards is that you still clench your teeth so it doesn't stop the habit. You can end up with really over developed jaw muscles too which change the shape of your face. My dentist made me a mouth guard just for my front teeth so I can't actually connect my back ones. It took a few weeks of wearing but it's stopped me clenching. If I feel stressed or the tension returning, I pop it back in and it sorts it out. Worth exploring - it's called an NTI.

Monty27 · 07/03/2022 08:47

It's bruxism. I used to wake myself up as I'd be chewing my own teeth.
OP your dentist is talking bollox.
You're not alone and there's other remedies as above. That's what I did.

dudsville · 07/03/2022 08:48

I used to do this and successfully stopped. First I tried the mouth guard but I just couldn't sleep with it. I took a small bit of fabric and made a soft little ball. I'd go to sleep on my side with that ball on the outside of my cheek. It provides just enough pressure and a reminder to unclench. I then also spent my days practicing unclenching and releasing tension. It was years ago now but it was successful. I think it took several months of this behavioral training but it was worth it.

1winterblues · 07/03/2022 08:48

How long have you clenched your teeth for ?
I started when on Maternity leave as I had no job to go back to and was quite ill and feeling very stressed.

I was given a mouth guard but couldn’t get on with it and realised I actually need to tackle the tension. Generally it’s much better at the moment, but it generally happens when I am worried about something

lomoloko · 07/03/2022 08:52

You can get medical botox to fix it. One injection.

Original poster
Friendshipqn · 07/03/2022 08:53

This is very helpful! Thank you!

To answer some questions: my dentist didn’t give a price but said “expensive” and considering my last treatment cost £600 (scaling and root planing as I have gum disease also) - I’m not sure what he considers expensive Confused I actually can’t afford to go back after that insanely expensive treatment!

I don’t know how long I’ve done it for, but I think most of my adult life. I have all sorts of teeth problems Confused. But my dentist noticed as I have teeth marks in my gum, if that makes sense.

I’d really like to somehow train my behaviour to change!

OP posts:
lookingformyleopard · 07/03/2022 16:09

Also interested in this. My dentist quoted £400 so I don't know how some people managed to get one for £75!
I already have one for my top teeth that I got during my post natal free dentist year, but I can't wear it for more than a few seconds without gagging so they're recommending a bottom teeth guard this time.
As far as I can see, the mouth guard just protects your teeth, I don't think it actually fixes the bruxism so would love to hear more about exercises to fix it

lilroo87 · 07/03/2022 16:32

I got one made recently and was told it's £300 on the NHS. I actually got it free because I'd just had a baby. Had been wearing it but my bruxism is pretty bad as I think my teeth have moved and it now aches just putting it on plus it hadn't really stopped the pain in the morning. I'm due a check up in May so will see if there is anything else dentist can suggest cause I don't think a mouth guard is really the fix for me

Littlemissprosecco · 07/03/2022 16:36

The £400 and £75 won’t be the same

speak2me · 07/03/2022 16:48

I started to need one 9 years ago after the birth of my first child. I had a new one fitted last year, dentist advised approx £210 for getting it on NHS (their guidelines meant a second appointment was needed to check it fitted properly), or £89 for dentist to just fit me for a guard privately.

Mistymountain · 07/03/2022 17:28

I paid £119 for a mouthguard from the dentist. It was a private one because the cost of buying a NHS one was higher apparently. It seems to have helped.

BobaTea · 07/03/2022 18:26

I had a custom made mouthguard from my private dentist for £150. The first one (a hard one) cracked after a few months and he made me another one free. This one is soft and thinner so much more comfortable to wear.

My NHS dentist said it's £280 to get in on NHS but he can make me one privately for £180. So I would get it done privately.

myyellowcar · 07/03/2022 18:32

I got one privately from my dentist and there is no comparison between that and cheap boil in a pan mouthguards mentioned above. You need one. Get into the habit of wearing one now and look into Botox of the muscles too.

SukiPook · 07/03/2022 18:37

Hi, as well qs the other suggestions, just popping on to mention that supplementing magnesium can really help ease grinding/clenching. I used to regularly bite my tongue until it bled every time I fell asleep before I knew about magnesium. 900mg magnesium citrate/bisglycinate/malate q day (not solely mg oxide as is is not as well absorbed). Epsom salt bath another nice way to get magnesium in.

BobaTea · 07/03/2022 19:56

I take 800mg magnesium citrate every night. I still clench.

AuntyFungal · 07/03/2022 20:01

@tothefareast80

The issue with normal mouth guards is that you still clench your teeth so it doesn't stop the habit. You can end up with really over developed jaw muscles too which change the shape of your face. My dentist made me a mouth guard just for my front teeth so I can't actually connect my back ones. It took a few weeks of wearing but it's stopped me clenching. If I feel stressed or the tension returning, I pop it back in and it sorts it out. Worth exploring - it's called an NTI.
I also have an NTI brace. Really recommended them.

I also had Botox in my masseter muscles- to reduce their size. & take beta blockers for migraines but it has helped with the grinding & clenching.

AnnaMagnani · 08/03/2022 08:02

Dentist made one for about £80. Mine last me a year but I'm a crazy grinder - DH is still on his first one from years ago.

If you are less stressed you do it less but you don't stop.

I've had Botox for it which is £££ - I do it less but again, it doesn't stop.

BobaTea · 08/03/2022 21:05

Does anyone get this weird sensation on their teeth due to clenching? Not painful but this constant hard to explain sensation.