Teeth Grinding

[leelee]

Does anyone else grind their teeth so hard at night it wakes them? Any suggestions of why and how to control/stop it? I wear a night guard but sometimes it feels smothering and I end up removing it.

 

[Crow]

I've tried three different guards so far and couldn't stand any of them. I'm gonna try the $100 guard in a few months. Mine is caused by flashbacks while I'm sleeping.

 

[watundah]

I dont think you can control it because you are asleep, but I was told it can be stress induced so maybe some relaxation exercises before retiring? I havent tried it but am a grinder, too. Ive done quite a bit of damage and had to have a cracked tooth pulled last month. :-(

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

Wow! I have been wondering if I am the only one who has problems with this!

I only have 3 "original" teeth, and have full upper dentures and a partial on the bottom row.

I clench and "work" my teeth almost constantly while I am awake. It's driving me CRAZY! It makes my gums sore. I lost a lot of my teeth due to grinding and clenching.

I have had EMDR therapy, and hope to be able to use it to work on this issue. It's getting on my LAST NERVE! I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[Deleted member 29920]

I grind terribly and had to stop wearing my guard because I was waking gasping for air :( I've done a lot of damage too. I wake with broken bits of tooth, veneer and filling in my mouth. I don't understand why our bodies are designed that grinding is even possible. Bad bad design flaw! Teeth should last a lifetime and now mines certainly won't and I am mid thirties :(

 

[Gs172003]

My son would do that in his sleep but he was in his late teens and I couldn't drag him to the doc to save my life. That boy worries me.

 

[Ahhlia]

I am a grinder too. Don't notice it much when I sleep (when I get sleep) Lost some teeth
I am supposed to go back to the dentist so they can reconstruct my top teeth at 25K
which I don't have... so I don't go unless it is for cleaning.

One doctor told me that if I push my tongue against my top teeth it will stop the grinding
True it works for awhile but my tongue gets tired of pushing and I go back to grinding.

 

[Naoru]

Grinder here, too. Rather than a night guard, I wear an Invisalign aligner to protect my teeth. It is sturdy, but not as bulky as a regular guard ... and can be worn night or daytime as needed. A similar non-brand style can be made by the dentist, but of course this depends on the intensity of your grinding. Might be worth a check!

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

@Ahhlia I have also tried pushing my tongue up against my top teeth, but like you, but as soon as I stop doing it consciously, I start clenching and grinding again.

I have even tried breathing exercises to take my mind off the clenching. As soon as my mind goes off the "conscious breathing" I am right back to grinding.

I REALLY hope EMDR or hypnosis can help.

 

[EmmaOwl]

Does anyone else grind their teeth so hard at night it wakes them? Any suggestions of why and how to con...

Wow, thanks for posting this. It's a big problem for me - and one or two others I know, but this thread makes it seem more widespread problem for those with PTSD.

The grinding itself doesn't generally wake me (eighty million other things, like nightmares, manage that feat!), but when I do wake up, I often have a sore jaw. I am lucky lucky lucky to have a custom mouth guard. I still gnash on it so I still have some jaw pain, but it helps prevent the surfaces of my teeth from grinding smooth - and it helps keep my teeth from shifting by the hardest grinding. I've got other problems with my teeth, but I am incredibly lucky to have a dentist that understands underlying health problems, all my medications, and is very kind - he's helping me along with a plan to keep as many of my teeth as possible. And let me once again emphasize that I am fully aware, that I am extremely fortunate to have this good dental care.

For anyone that can manage to get one, I *strongly* recommend a custom mouth guard. It is very thin, close-fitting and doesn't bother me - I can keep it on and still drink and so on, which is key for me. I tried an over the counter kind, but it was bulky and made me gag. (It's kinda tough to fall asleep while gagging.) I'm afraid with other dental work I need done, I would need a new guard, and I'm not sure if I will be able to afford it... Getting a bridge over a pulled molar beats out teeth grinding, priority-wise.

Even though I'm aware of these problems, I STILL don't always take the best care of my teeth, it is one of those things that becomes overwhelming when PTSD is at its worst. It is dreadfully embarrassing but it is a thing - hygiene can be tough for those at their most ill.

**Do you know what? I told my dentist that, and he was so, so kind. I just about died of the embarrassment of what should be simple hygiene, but a friend encouraged me to have that conversation. But I had been working with this one dentist for maybe 3 years, and I made sure he was the only one in the room to listen (no assistants, etc) before I confessed that most embarrassing dental problem...but he already knew I was on disability, and he already had my med list and that was more than enough to know that I was pretty effed up. So I took that step and really was amazed at his kindness. (I wouldn't run around and say that kind of thing to any random dentist.)

Umm advice advice. I take many medications and it seems that ALL of them cause dry mouth. That can damage your teeth, too. Dehydration is a problem, and I force myself to drink as much as I can manage - that has become a necessary standard of self-care for me - but it's tough. I end up with my stomach feeling "sloshy" all the time. But that brings us back around to night guards and other dental problems and, in addition to comfort, I am able to drink through the night without removing the thin night guard I have. I'm afraid I won't be able to get a new one :( But it was helpful while it lasted.

Thanks again to everyone who posted about these troubles! And thanks to anyone who read the story that I told here. This is my first time on the "Other Disorders" board. And boy, do I have Other Disorders!! ;)

 

[EmmaOwl]

Grinder here, too. Rather than a night guard, I wear an Invisalign aligner to protect my teeth. It is stu...

Naoru, I never would've thought of this! Thanks for providing an alternative to look into.

 

[EmmaOwl]

@C j, I am in the same spot - mid 30's and working to avoid dentures :( I've always got chips of teeth or other whatever else the dentist has put in, sometimes I can't even tell which is which. I've lost count.

Edited to add: I actually have heard (sorry I don't have any scientific sources at hand) that humans evolved with teeth to last them through to about their 30's. Presumably teeth didn't need to last many years past that......
I dunno if that's true or not but it makes a certain amount of sense. Maybe. ? Oh goodness, I don't know! lol I'm going to count it as my random fact of the day.