Grinding my teeth at night

[lawrocket 3]

I've been doing this over the last couple of monts. Is this common? What can I do to stop it?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[mailin 0]

Its very common - hard to control something that you don 't realize your doing though.

Get a mouth guard. I went to my dentist, paid $300 to get one. Then found out it was playing clarinet and saxophone that was the problem, not grinding my teeth.


Good luck,


Jen

Arianna Frances

[weegegirl 2]

I did it for years. In fact... I did it so bad, I ground my molars down A LOT! There are a few things you can do. It's usually stress that causes it... you obviously shouldn't be that tense at night. You can take something before going to sleep to help you relax.. if that's your thing. Or, you can buy a bite plate to sleep with. Custom bite plates are EXPENSIVE... like 500 bucks!!! They also have off-the-shelf ones that are like 20 or 30 bucks or something. I had sleep issues for a long time including insomnia. I feel your pain!

[Miami 0]

That's bruxing...not all that uncommon. Usually the onset was from stress. If you go see your doctor they can refer you to a sleep clinic for a study to observe how severe your bruxism is. They can prescribe you a mouthpiece you wear at night that will prevent you from grinding your teeth (although I have had patients who came back a month or two later with their mouthpiece ground in half!). If it is severe you can grind the enamel off of your teeth and run into further dental problems.
Hope this helps...

Miami

[gjhdiver 0]

Quote

I've been doing this over the last couple of monts. Is this common? What can I do to stop it?

Join the club ADHD boy

What meds are you on ? That's what's doing it for me. I may have to wear a guard or change my meds. I managed to flex one tooth so badly, I cracked it and had to have a crown done.

It's a common symptom of ADHD and can be made worse with some meds. Hell, I'm even aware of grinding them as I type this.

[lawrocket 3]

This started a few months ago, like my snoring. I actually did a couple of experiments to go off the meds on weekends to see whether or not it continued. It did.

The stress argument may be a good one. I think I do need a mouthguard. I hadn't thought about grinding my teeth down to nothing.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

I grind my teeth quite a bit. I usually do it at night (have insomnia issues, as well), but I have noticed that I also do it when I am very focused on certain activities during the day, even while typing or skydiving. I had a custom mouth guard made, but I never use it. It's too freaky for me. Although I paid so much for it, that it's a shame that I don't wear it!

Sadly, I've grinded my teeth so hard and for so many years, that my teeth 's unusually nice symmetrical has now become distorted. My teeth have now shifted dramatically over the years, and I used to practically be the poster kid for a perfect smile (no braces ever). I even cracked my front left tooth over a year ago from the hard grinding, and I've since had to file down my front teeth quite a bit, with which I am not happy, as to not show the crack in the tooth at all. (I really miss the old look of my slightly larger teeth!)

Good luck with this problem, Jerry. Maybe you will be ok with wearing a mouth guard at night. I am thinking that the fact that your little guy was sick recently and keeping you up at night may have added to your stress levels enough to bring this on. Or, it's quite possible that like me, you have been doing this your whole life and never noticed until now.

(Good God, I noticed that I was grinding my teeth as I was typing this! )

[skymedic 0]

Anne used to do this so much she'd wake me up from sleep. so she got a night guard that snaps onto her front bottom teeth. she doesn't grind anymore.

thank god!!!

Marc
otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman....

[MarkM 0]

Quote

The stress argument may be a good one. I think I do need a mouthguard. I hadn't thought about grinding my teeth down to nothing.

It also puts stress onto your jaw joint and can lead to TMJ.

[craichead 0]

Quote

Then found out it was playing clarinet and saxophone that was the problem, not grinding my teetth.

Wait, I'm confused...were you grinding your teeth at night because you were playing sax and clarinet? Or were you grinding your teeth when you were actually playing the instruments? The only reason I ask is because my husband sometimes grinds his teeth at night, and he used to play the clarinet in high school...hmm.

_Pm

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[FallinWoman 1]

I spent about $300 for my custom mouthgaurd during the year that I had constant headaches. It did not help my headache, but it sure helps my jaw pain.

I now have trouble sleeping without it....it has become my pacifier....and I do not grind at all...well worth the $300....and my dentist will tighten it for free if and when it ever become too loose.

~Anne

I'm a Doll!!!!

[JeepDiver 0]

Quote

I grind my teeth quite a bit. I usually do it at night (have insomnia issues, as well), but I have noticed that I also do it when I am very focused on certain activities during the day, even while typing or skydiving. I had a custom mouth guard made, but I never use it. It's too freaky for me. Although I paid so much for it, that it's a shame that I don't wear it!

Sadly, I've grinded my teeth so hard and for so many years, that my teeth 's unusually nice symmetrical has now become distorted. My teeth have now shifted dramatically over the years, and I used to practically be the poster kid for a perfect smile (no braces ever). Frown I even cracked my front left tooth over a year ago from the hard grinding, and I've since had to file down my front teeth quite a bit, with which I am not happy, as to not show the crack in the tooth at all. (I really miss the old look of my slightly larger teeth!)

Good luck with this problem, Jerry. Maybe you will be ok with wearing a mouth guard at night. I am thinking that the fact that your little guy was sick recently and keeping you up at night may have added to your stress levels enough to bring this on. Or, it's quite possible that like me, you have been doing this your whole life and never noticed until now.

(Good God, I noticed that I was grinding my teeth as I was typing this! [Crazy]

ugh!! same here and I hate it. I used to do it only at night with the lights off and now I find myself doing anywhere and everywhere.