In this article we will look at how to stop teeth grinding (Bruxism). I use hypnotherapy and hypnosis to help people in London stop teeth grinding. Hypnotherapy is an effective treatment since teeth grinding is a subconscious habit. Even after just one or two sessions clients discover to how stop teeth grinding at night for life. Get in touch today and reduce teeth grinding.
How hypnotherapy helps you stop teeth grinding at night
Teeth grinding is of course when a person grinds their teeth, often at night, but not when chewing food. The teeth grind or start to rub together, as the jaw moves with force either from side to side or in a back and forth movement. Often, the person is unaware that they are doing it. Only on waking in the morning or after a visit to the dentist, does it become clear that they grind their teeth. This, itself, shows it is a subconscious habit, and points to hypnotherapy being an ideal treatment.
Similar to teeth grinding is teeth clenching. Teeth clenching is when a person will hold their teeth together and then clenches the muscles together, but that’s without moving the teeth back and forth.
People might grind or clench their teeth during the day or, and most frequently, at night. Of course, teeth grinding at night, during sleep can pose a bigger challenge for individuals since it can be harder to control.
Teeth grinding is therefore viewed as a sleep disorder. So the question of how stop teeth grinding is an important one to investigate. Especially as it’s an unconscious neuromuscular physical activity.
Myofascial muscle pain can result, as can temporomandibular joint dysfunction. People who grind their teeth can experience headaches too. Since it feels like a habit not in conscious control, which can create anxiety and stress as well. Severe cases may result in arthritis of the temporomandibular joints.
Hypnotherapy helps with the effects so you stop teeth grinding at night
Grinding teeth unfortunately can result in the wearing down of the teeth. Teeth can become short, blunt, or fractured. Grinding and clenching puts also pressure on the muscles of the face and jaw and the tissues and other structures around the jaw. As such it can lead to:
- sensitive, loose or broken teeth
- jaw pain or stiffness
- sore gums
- headache
- clicking or the popping of jaw joints
Other effects of teeth grinding can be earache. This can occur, partly because structures related to the temporomandibular joint are found close to the ear canal. In a similar manner, there may be referral pain. This is when a person feels some pain in a different location to its source. Hypnotherapy can help lower the impact of pain and focus relaxation on the mouth, jaw and general area.
Hypnotherapy can help reduce other symptoms. These can include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. Sleeping in the same room or bed as a teeth grinder can be annoying and cause a sleepless night as well. Hypnotherapy for teeth grinding, can help partners, who are bothered by the noise. Hypnotherapy can help you ignore the sound and also gain a more kind and loving feeling towards the person who has been a source or annoyance! Better to look at this aspect too, as relationship friction can result.
Excessive teeth grinding can damage the surfaces of the teeth. This is particularly damaging for the molars. It can contribute to what is known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.
It is also true that you can clench or grind teeth without having symptoms.
Hypnotherapy helps with how to stop teeth grinding
The cause of teeth grinding remains unclear. However several factors may be involved. We see that in children, grinding teeth usually happens after their first teeth appear. Grinding can happen again when the permanent teeth later emerge. Grinding usually stops when the adult teeth have fully erupted.
It is no shock that clenching and grinding teeth often happen at times of stress. Consider times of anger, anxiety, or life changes. Research has found that our brain activity and the heart beat rate may increase before an episode of teeth grinding, suggesting that the body’s central nervous system (CNS) plays a role too.
Teeth grinding may be related to an abnormal bite. This means the teeth do not all meet properly when a person closes the jaw. If, in the mouth, the top and bottom teeth fail to come together properly, this is referred to as an occlusal discrepancy. However, the American Academy of Oral Medicine considers there to be a lack of scientific research to conclusively prove this.
In some people, their facial muscles may spasm during sleep. Also having missing teeth or crooked teeth can prompt the teeth to grind at night. In this case irritation may be a factor. Hypnotherapy for teeth grinding can help relax facial muscles and also teach you how stop teeth grinding relaxation tools.
Teeth grinding can be a side effect of medications, which may include some amphetamines, antidepressants and antipsychotics. It can occur after taking drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy). It has been found that neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease or Parkinson’s disease may also cause teeth grinding. Other causes of note include fatigue, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep problems such as sleep apnoea and snoring.
Who grinds their teeth?
How stop teeth grinding in childhood
Teeth grinding is most common in childhood. The lowest rates of teeth grinding are found in people aged over 65 years. For small children, teeth grinding may be a response to the pain of teething. Also it may be a response to other pains or common stresses, such as school tests or an argument. Children with ADHD may be more inclined to teeth grinding.
Diagnosis and how to stop teeth grinding
Though not something you need a diagnosis for, you may wish to seek medical advice for teeth grinding. A doctor or dentist will almost certainly ask about the patient’s medical history and may carry out an examination, of the teeth and jaw. Signs of teeth grinding a doctor may look for include:
- Jaw discomfort when waking in the morning
- a lot of unexpected tooth wear
- Enlarged jaw muscles
Since tooth wear can result from being over-vigorous with brushing or abrasive substances in toothpaste, or even acidic soft drinks and so on, a trained professional can see the difference between teeth grinding and other wear patterns from other causes.
I use hypnotherapy to help show you how to stop teeth grinding. It can be a matter of just a couple of sessions to say good bye and good night to teeth grinding.
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