# Tooth grinding and jaw clenching



## Snakecharmer (Oct 26, 2010)

Apparently I grind my teeth at night. :shocked:

I've been waking up with a very sore jaw, and sometimes with a bonus killer headache.

I've had TMJ issues in the past, but this is ridiculous. 

I also catch myself clenching my jaw during the day.

I bought a mouth guard to wear at night (one that you soak in hot water and mold to your mouth). I'll use it for now, but I think I'm going to have to see a specialist. It seems like my jaw is misaligned, which is odd because I had braces and supposedly all that was fixed...and all of a sudden at 42 this stuff is really bothering me.

Have any of you experienced this or used a mouth guard?


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## Devin87 (May 15, 2011)

I don't grind, but I do clench. It hasn't been too much of a problem lately, but there were times I've woken up crying because my jaw hurt so much. I haven't tried to mouth guard. I don't think I'd be able to sleep with something in my mouth.


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## Snakecharmer (Oct 26, 2010)

Devin87 said:


> I don't grind, but I do clench. It hasn't been too much of a problem lately, but there were times I've woken up crying because my jaw hurt so much. I haven't tried to mouth guard. I don't think I'd be able to sleep with something in my mouth.


It can really hurt at times!

I hear ya...I'm afraid I'm going to hate this mouth guard. When I was a kid and had to wear headgear at night (with my braces, good times), I used to take it off in the middle of the night.

Not looking forward to this, but the pain is too much.


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## Jwing24 (Aug 2, 2010)

When I was in high school there was a year where I had lockjaw in the morning after waking up and could not open my mouth. Pretty freaky!

It was because I was REALLY stressed. I haven't had it since thankfully.


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## Snakecharmer (Oct 26, 2010)

Jwing24 said:


> When I was in high school there was a year where I had lockjaw in the morning after waking up and could not open my mouth. Pretty freaky!
> 
> It was because I was REALLY stressed. I haven't had it since thankfully.


Whoa! I could see that happening to me. Yikes!


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## nádej (Feb 27, 2011)

I've had TMJ issues since high school (including complete lockjaw on several occasions), and apparently I clench my jaw in my sleep - not grinding, really, but definite clenching.

I had a mouthguard that I wore for a couple years, but it didn't really help. I also saw an oral surgeon/maxillofacial specialist a few times (he was the one who hooked me up with that stellar mouthguard in the first place), and ultimately he was like, "You clench your teeth at night! We can maybe try physical therapy which I'd have to refer you elsewhere for, but that might not work either! Good luck!"


BUT - I got really into yoga like a year ago, and my TMJ issues are *gone*. I notice that if I'm sick (or lazy) and not practicing yoga for a week or two I can feel my jaw start to clench more again; I'll wake up with it sore, and I have those issues back. But when I'm practicing regularly, I don't wake up with that pain (maybe not clenching at all?), and definitely don't have any locking or swelling issues. I don't know whether it's yoga keeping my body in good alignment, or yoga keeping my body able to handle stress, or what, but it's been the miracle cure for me (cured my eczema too!).


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## ForsakenMe (Aug 30, 2010)

I'm starting to clench my jaw involuntarily for no reason at all these days. I wonder why. It could be a symptom of built up stress, OP.


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## Brian1 (May 7, 2011)

I grind my teeth all the time, and then I have problems with fine motor skills, so every now and then, my mouth will have a muscle spasm. I try and control, and to make matters worse, I have a double tooth. So, I'm not in the best position, and yet, I've seen other peoples teeth, and mine aren't that bad compared to my coworkers.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

I clench my jaw during sleep too, sometimes, and it gets worse in periods of high stress. I try to practice relaxing my jaw when I'm lying to sleep, and it works quite good. Stress is the most important factor for me though.


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## petite libellule (Jul 4, 2012)

Snakecharmer said:


> Have any of you experienced this or used a mouth guard?


YES! And I almost DIED! NO LIE!!!! I am so dead serious with this, no pun intended! 

I woke up choking on it. When you grind your jaw is scissoring. If your case is as severe as mine was, I HIGHLY recommend biting the bullet (again, no pun ) and pay the money for a custom made guard by the dentist. It was about 500 for me. The messy part was, that although it was necessary, I do not wear it anymore because the TMJ was SIGNIFICANTLY reduced after certain situations were alleviated from my life. So stress DOES in fact have a lot to play. As well as maybe caffeine or so I've been told. Haven't had so much of an issue with it this last year but there was a time it was a serious problem. My teeth shifted (not noticeably but enough where I could feel how they align poorly) and from what I understand, the misalignment has much to do with the TMJ being an issue in the first place. I hope to get braces in the next year or so. There are other methods of treatment you can do like massage (though seriously awkward and I can't handle it myself) and acupuncture which when the time comes, if it's still an issue, I just might opt for. We shall see ...

So yeah, totally beware of a one size fits all guard if you have a bad case.


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## Cher Zee (Feb 15, 2012)

Boy and howdy can I relate to TMJ. I've had it for 8 years and it started with night grinding. The thing to do is take care of it right away when you start experiencing symptoms (so don't do what I did, which was to let it go on.)

Talk to your dentist about a night guard. They are expensive when custom made but they will fit your mouth better and will feel more comfortable. You can try over the counter ones but I have a small mouth and they never fit me, might be different for you though.

Pay attention to when you clench during the day. It's easy to say just relax, and stop but sometimes it feels downright impossible to do so. If you can't stop clenching during the day talk to a regular doctor. After 8 years of pain I finally saw a normal doctor (instead of the TMJ specialists who did nothing) and she put me on muscle relaxants. Believe it or not they are working wonderfully and are ending the pain I thought I would have to live the rest of my life with.

It's hard to stop clenching once you start and it becomes a habit. Nip it in the bud and you'll forego future problems. (So in essence, I was stupid to wait until it became chronic pain. Don't be me.)

:wink:


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