Night Teeth Grinding Treatment: How Modern Treatments Are Helping People Manage Chronic Pain and Discomfort

Sleeping bruxism doesn’t really affect your life until it does.

You wake up with jaw pain, headaches and sensitive teeth…but you just chalk it up to a “bad night’s sleep”. You don’t realise that night teeth grinding is the culprit until the damage is done.

But what if there was a way to prevent and manage that damage before it even starts?

Well, thankfully there is. Modern teeth grinding treatment has come a long way. Below you will discover some of the best methods to manage chronic pain caused by grinding teeth at night.

(Okay, technically it’s bruxism – but who wants to say that?)

Here’s what you’ll learn

• What Is Night Teeth Grinding?
• Why Causes Chronic Pain?
• Modern Night Teeth Grinding Treatment Options
• How To Choose The Right Treatment

What Is Night Teeth Grinding?

Nighttime teeth grinding, also known as sleep bruxism, occurs when you grind your teeth and clench your jaw during sleep. You may not even realize you grind your teeth until you start waking up with symptoms like jaw pain.

During episodes of bruxism, your jaw muscles can produce forces of over 250 PSI. This is an extremely large amount of pressure and it can wreak havoc on your teeth, jaw joints and surrounding facial muscles.

In fact, studies estimate that bruxism has a global prevalence of 22% amongst people. This means that almost 1 in 5 people grind their teeth or clench their jaw at night.

Here are some of the most common signs you grind your teeth at night

• Waking up with stiff jaw pain
• Chronic headaches (particularly in your temples)
• Worn down/chipped teeth
• Interrupted sleep

If this sounds like you, keep reading to learn about your night teeth grinding treatment options that will provide relief.

One popular option that has helped many patients with significant jaw pain is bruxism botox treatment options.

Why Does Night Teeth Grinding Cause Chronic Pain?

Bruxism isn’t just damaging your teeth. When you grind your teeth you’re inviting chronic pain into your:

• Jaw
• Head
• Neck

See, your teeth are super strong. Your masseter and temporalis muscles have to be stronger to bite down on your teeth. When you grind your teeth you’re overworking these muscles which can cause persistent muscle fatigue.

Over time, this can lead to disorders of your temporomandibular joint. Not only can you experience pain in your jaw, but your TMJ problems can cause you to feel pain in your neck, shoulders and even ears.

And here’s the worst part… Research shows that stress and anxiety play a key role in causing sleep bruxism.

If you’re more stressed out you’re more likely to grind your teeth at night. And the more you grind your teeth, the more jaw pain you’ll feel. When you have pain, you’re likely to feel more stress. It’s a vicious cycle.

Modern night teeth grinding treatments help you break this pain/stress cycle.

Modern Night Teeth Grinding Treatment Options

If you’re looking to stop grinding your teeth at night and get rid of chronic facial pain, you’ve come to the right place.

Below are some of the best modern treatments that healthcare professionals swear by to help people stop grinding their teeth at night and manage their pain.

Read through each treatment method and decide which option(s) will work best for you. Once you’ve found your solution, implementing effective night teeth grinding treatment is as easy as clicking a button.

Bruxism Treatment With Botox Injections

Wait…what?

Yes, you read that right. Using botox to treat your bruxism is one of the best remedies you can try.

Here’s how it works…

When you receive botox injections, the toxin is injected directly into your overactive jaw muscles. This is typically done in the masseter muscle. The botox helps relax the muscles which decreases how much pressure you’re able to grind with at night.

Recent research discovered that botulinum toxin created a greater reduction in pain when compared to traditional treatment methods AND placebo treatments over a period of 6-12 months.

If you’re tired of suffering from pain and haven’t found relief from other methods, give botox for teeth grinding a try tonight.

Custom Occlusal Splints (Night Guards)

Every dentist, doctor and google search will recommend that you get a night guard to treat your bruxism.

While night guards can provide relief, not all night guards are created equally.

Custom-fitted night guards from your dentist are much more effective at treating your bruxism than the ones you can buy at CVS. Custom guards are made to absorb the pressure from grinding and protect your teeth from getting damaged.

Benefits of Custom Night Guards

• Shields your teeth from fractures and damage
• Reduces strain on your jaw muscles overnight
• Improve your sleep quality

Night guards won’t stop you from grinding your teeth. But they are a great first step to taking care of your teeth while you night grind.

Behavioural Changes & Lifestyle Improvement

This teeth grinding treatment option is free.

Stress and anxiety are two of the most common causes for bruxism.

By simply managing your stress, you may notice a decrease in pain and teeth grinding. Here are a few things you can do to keep your stress levels under control:

• Exercise regularly
• Improve your sleep hygiene
• Practice relaxation techniques before bed
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evenings

Did you know that sleep bruxism affects between 8-10% of adults worldwide. Many cases of sleep bruxism are caused by stress and poor sleep habits.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is another treatment method you can use to help you deal with teeth grinding at night.

Specifically, physical therapy that focuses on your jaw will be the most beneficial.

Myofunctional therapy helps you learn how to properly use the muscles in your face. By practicing this therapy, you can reduce tension in your jaw and face. It has also shown to be effective at reducing bruxism episodes as well as chronic pain.

Physical therapy is a great supplemental treatment to continue after you receive other forms of treatment.

How To Choose The Right Treatment

Here’s something that often gets overlooked…

There isn’t a single “best” treatment to stop grinding your teeth at night.

You see, the best treatment methods always include a combination of treatments. You shouldn’t rely on one single treatment to get you out of pain.

Think of these treatments like layers of an onion. On their own, they’re great – but when you stack them on top of each other, you get amazing results.

A night guard will protect your teeth from damage. Botox can reduce how much your muscles can clench at night. Stress management can help reduce the cause of your bruxism. Physical therapy can help you recover faster.

The first thing you should do is head over to your dentist to receive your diagnosis. After that, a custom treatment plan can be built around your specific needs.

Wrapping It Up

Bruxism might not affect your life right now. But if you let it continue, you’re only inviting chronic pain and sensitivity into your life.

Here are the best ways to prevent and manage teeth grinding at night.

Let’s take a second to recap the most effective night teeth grinding treatments:

• Administering botox injections into your jaw muscles to reduce pressure.
• Wearing a custom night guard while you sleep to protect your teeth.
• Practicing stress management techniques to reduce bruxism.
• Going to physical therapy to speed up your recovery.

 

So what are you waiting for? Don’t let bruxism affect your quality of life. Choose a treatment and start your recovery today.

 

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