How can you Control the habit of Teeth Grinding?

If you feel soreness in the jaws especially when you wake up or you feel that you may have the symptoms of bruxism, it may mean that you grind the teeth while your sleep. As a result of persistently clenching the teeth, patients can harm the jaw bone or teeth. This is why it is important to write about it in addition to teeth whitening tips. Though dental restorative options are used to control the damage if you want to avoid it, you can take help from the tips mentioned in this article.

Implications OF Grinding Teeth

The main purpose of a jaw muscle is to help you chew food and speak, this is why it will not be wrong to call it one of the strongest muscles in the body, however, pressure, anger, and anxiety can make these muscles weak. For instance, if you clench teeth unknowingly or if you exert the force on the teeth unnecessarily, the teeth can get damaged. So, if you can control your habit of clenching teeth, it can save you from extreme conditions, however, if it persists, your teeth can start to crack or contribute to jaw lock.

Helpful Tips

Mouth Guard

People suffering from this problem do it while sleeping; this is why it is hard for them to curb the habit of grinding or clenching the teeth. Experts believe that if you get a mouth guard, it may prevent you from repeating the habit of clenching. This does not mean that you will not grind the teeth, but mouth guard can help you to remain aware or use it as the barrier. If you do not know how to get it, you can find it in any local store, however, if you can get it made in accordance with your need, that option is probably the best.

Control Stress

Most of the dentists are of the view that the condition bruxism is worsened if you are constantly under stress or anxiety. This is why if you can look for the tips to reduce the level of stress in your life, the problem can be managed because if you do not, the muscles of your mouth can react to stress in form of grinding the teeth. Moreover, some of the meditation techniques and breathing exercises can make it easy for you to deal with pressure.

Stop Overworking the Jaw

In some cases, people do not realize that they do things which may overexert the jaw muscles. For instance, if you chew hard food or meat, it can lead you to the muscle clenching condition. Similarly, candies and extra-sticky food should be avoided.

Intake of Alcohol and Caffeine

It has been observed that intake of alcohol can make you clench the teeth more than you should. Similarly, caffeine is another source of adding tension in your life; as a result, the body reacts to it in form of grinding the teeth. In simple words, if you can cut down the use of alcohol and caffeine, the symptoms of bruxism can be managed.

Sleep Apnea

Evidence on the link between sleep apnea and bruxism is not researched in detail; however, if you can treat the condition of sleep apnea, the problem of bruxism can be improved, as it acts as the mouth guard for the mouth.

Relaxation

One of the effective means of easing the muscle strain is to follow muscle relaxing exercises. For instance, if you massage the neck and face, you will feel the difference, however, if you are not sure about the right techniques, you can take the help of a professional therapist. Some of the experts may recommend applying Luke-warm water with the help of a piece of cloth and gently rub or put it on the sides of jaw before you go to bed, the idea is to relax the muscles.

Dental Treatments

If you have already seen the damage on your teeth, there are some treatments that can recover the teeth. For instance, a porcelain veneer is one of the options. It uses the cosmetic resin to connect the damaged part of the teeth with the veneer. The idea is to make a mold like structure in accordance with your teeth and make it appear like enamel so that it will give the look of a natural tooth. To put simply, it is a thin layer on the teeth that can protect the teeth from infections. This does not mean that you can be negligent when it comes to curbing the teeth grinding habit because if the source is not addressed, you may not be able to get the permanent solution.

Training

This step may test your patience, but the key is to remain focused so that you will be able to train yourself not to grind the teeth. The first step is to become aware of the causes and acceptance. If you are not familiar or aware of the problem, you cannot take steps to control it. The second step is to find the helpful guides and get rid of the triggers. If you seem to have a hard time, you can take help from a friend or an expert. The more you remind yourself of the problem and its long-term consequences on the dental health, the better control you can have.

Physical Therapy

This step is for those who have unbearable pain in the jaw muscles or if you are prone to get the extreme form of the jaw-related diseases. Experts in the field can help you to relax and if you regularly visit the center close to your place, the tension or soreness of the muscles can be controlled. There are various ointments and oils which may also prove beneficial in soothing the muscles, as they act as the relaxing agent. Therefore, if you do it before going to bed, the damage can be stopped.

To conclude, teeth grinding may seem like a small problem, but the long-terms consequences are quite harmful, as people can develop muscle problems and weaken the teeth.