Most people don’t know the term bruxism, but are familiar with the idea. When you get stressed out, you tend to bite down and clench your teeth, or grind them back and forth. This is common, but it is also dangerous to your teeth.
If you have been struggling with clenching, then you need to figure out ways of keeping your teeth protected. One way you can do that is by learning to relax so you don’t keep causing damage to your teeth.
Nighttime grinding can also be a result of breathing problems such as sleep apnea. If you are experiencing grinding along with daytime sleepiness see a physician who specializes in sleep medicine. If you do have sleep apnea we can fabricate a dental sleep appliance to keep you breathing during the night.
Simple Relaxation Options to Keep Your Jaw Relaxed
Taking a moment to stop and take a deep breath can do a lot when it comes to keeping yourself calm and relaxed. Just stopping, inhaling deeply, then exhaling through pursed lips can help you relax and refocus on whatever is going on, allowing you to regain control.
Getting regular massages can help you remain more relaxed. It allows you to remain in control, and it keeps your body looser, making it to where you clench your jaws less.
Exercise can help you get your mind focused without the need to tense up any part of your body. It helps to keep you healthy, but it also allows your body to relax more between times that you exercise.
Meditation also gives you the opportunity to remain relaxed, more often than not. You can meditate during different parts of the day, and then still remain relaxed during the rest of the day.
Making a note whenever you begin to clench is another way of keeping that from happening as much. Once you recognize that you are clenching your jaw, you can contact our office. The mouth guards they can provide can go a long way towards protecting your teeth from the damage that clenching can cause.