[Closed] Grinding your teeth in the night?

Yes - and with me it is generally in times of pressure. Apparently it is a increasing problem as our lives get faster and more stessful. Get a sports gum shield which will help reduce the impact on your teeth.

cut back on the recreational drugs, that should sort it

You can get a brace thing from the dentist, made to fit.

I went through periods of doing this although (touch wood) I havent done so for a while.

There's a proper medical term for it which I cannot recall at the mo...

I went to see an orthodontist and I had two options, a rubber gum sheild which worked but felt wierd wearing at night (and isnt too attractive if you're on the pull) or some re-working of my teeth (basically via a dremmel!) to adjust my bite pattern.

I just started doing it, about 4 weeks ago. No jaw problems, just the tips of my front lower teeth feel slightly rough like someones sandpapering them. At first I thought it was the new sonic toothbrush or the new toothpaste making my teeth feel a bit raw, but I stopped using both. Everyone says stress, but I have no stress in my life, certainly nothing different to prior to 4 weeks ago.
Rather than grinding your teeth, sounds like you are clenching your jaw. So not sure if a dental tray/gum shield would be of help, you can buy one on ebay quite cheap to try it out.

Wife grinds her teeth. I cannot imagine how much force she's applying to her teeth to make the noise she does. It wakes me up sometimes. If you're doing the same it's no wonder you have a sore jaw.

I've been doing this for years, the ends of my teeth on the front row both top and bottom are proper smooth.

It must be quiet as my wife has never complained about any noise

I do it a lot. Dentist recommended I get a mouth guard, although he wanted to charge me £250 for it, so I said no. Don't see why a normal sports mouth guard wouldn't do the job for a few quid 🙂

Bruxism is the proper term for it. Used to do it but don't think I do any more. No idea what caused me to do it.

It's called bruxism and you should see a dentist. The forces can be quite extraordinary (many years of wear in one night I was told). Stress, alcohol and caffeine exacerbate it but the underlying cause is often just a wonky bite. The more you grind or clench, the tighter your jaw muscles get (and the more you wear the joint up near your temple). Wearing a dental shield (a proper one not a gumshield) will allow your jaw muscles to relax so you won't be quite so prone to it. If your teeth are that sensitive, get it sorted out!

cut back on the recreational drugs, that should sort it

😀

Apparently I do it, and I can't replicate the noise in the day time. Everyone who's heard it says it's a hell of a sound and must have serious force behind it.

I'm not stressed, don't take in a great deal of caffiene or owt. I've not really worried about it.

Bruxism can be a sign of sleep apnoea. Consider getting yourself referred, especially if you snore and feel sleepy during the daytime.

[i]although (touch wood) I havent done so for a while. [/i]

this is probably a good cure, relieves tension you know.

I used to do this. Would wake the next day aching where the jaw hinges near the ear. It was really uncomfortable. So now whenever I get it, Mrs T would wake periodically throughout the night to see if I was doing it, and if I was, she'd give me a good hard slap. First dozen or so times she did it, I'd wake with quite a start, sit bolt upright, shouting, pounding heart, eyes bulging and flailing my arms. Now, though, she says that I'm used to it and that I now simply open my eyes, shout and go back to sleep. My doctor says it's some sort of pavloff treatment or something. Works though.

Blimey. I know I'm bad for periods of not breathing in sleep.

However, the wiki entry says it's a disorder, but why exactly is it bad that I pause my breath for 10 seconds or so occasionally? 10 seconds won't kill me, right?

I do, or did, my front teeth are pretty worn down and smooth because of it.

[i]this is probably a good cure, relieves tension you know[/i]

😆 Every night before bed, err... doctors orders you know

Dentist recommended I get a mouth guard, although he wanted to charge me £250 for it, so I said no. Don't see why a normal sports mouth guard wouldn't do the job for a few quid

No reason at all. It helps your teeth slide against each other rather than becoming jammed against one another and giving you a sore jaw.

Wife had the sme issue and her cousin (a dentist) said the whitening shield she already had would do just fine.

OK - mine seems to be more clamping my jaw than grinding my teeth. Gonna try taking a relaxant before sleep and work on sorting out some of the things in my life that are clearly playing on my mind 🙂

LOL @

[i]I used to do this. Would wake the next day aching where the jaw hinges near the ear. It was really uncomfortable. So now whenever I get it, Mrs T would wake periodically throughout the night to see if I was doing it, and if I was, she'd give me a good hard slap. . . .[/i]

Isn't there a [i]nicer[/i] way she could wake you up, that would leave you feeling calm and relieved and able to fall back into a deep satisfied sleep . . . .?

🙄

THis is weird as I've just started having problems with my teeth - it feels like my teeth just dont fit together properly anymore, this has only happened it the last few weeks - been putting off seeing the demtisy though.

are you drinking tea or coffee prior to going to bed? try cutting out stimulants (inc sugar) a couple of hrs before hitting the sack

I had a spell of doing this when I quit smoking, fags etc.

As a reward for quitting smoking I got my teeth whitened. The trays that they give you do the same job (IMO) as the designed for purpose guards and cost me.... £250 (with bleaching gel).

I no longer grind my sparkly white teeth.

I have done it for years, I have a gumshield that I wear in bed ... the misses says its not very romantic but other than the first couple of nights getting used to it no probs at all.

Kind of odd why really, I am fairly laid back, so not sure why it started (about to go & look up Bruxism though)...I used to get odd headaches & they stopped as soon as I started wearing the gumshield ... I think I bite down as much as ever but at least I am not chipping my teeth now & the symptoms have gone

Oh yeh, the other thing is I don't snore as much - I dont think I was bad before but only when I have a cold now 🙂

Dentist recommended I get a mouth guard, although he wanted to charge me £250 for it, so I said no. Don't see why a normal sports mouth guard wouldn't do the job for a few quid