Effective Ways to Stop Tooth Grinding

Tooth grinding known as bruxism, causes one to grind, clench, or gnash their teeth. Many doctors feel it is the result of emotional stress that the person is dealing with and cutting down on stress will stop tooth grinding. Most people tend to grind their teeth at night while sleeping but there are those that grind during the day while they are wide awake. So what can be done to stop tooth grinding? A number of natural remedies will work to stop tooth grinding including the most obvious one, which is to reduce stress by relaxing.

To prevent tooth grinding while sleeping, which is the most common type, don't do anything stressful an hour before you go to bed. That includes working on assignments, deadlines for work, and any difficult task that could cause stress levels to rise, instead listen to soft music or take a soothing bath. Another relaxation treatment is to say each vowel out loud and emphasis the sound of each one. Saying the vowels out loud helps stretch and relax the face muscles. You can do this exercise as often as you like, especially when you feel stress coming on but do it in front of a mirror to make sure you are stretching your muscles effectively. You can continue to do this treatment for as long as you like.

There are a number of herbs that can help to stop tooth grinding - chamomile, hops, valerian, and skullcap - are believed to help reduce anxiety and stress and allow you to sleep heavier. The most effective way to take these herbs is to take a tincture of one of them mixed with 1 or 2 ounces of water before bedtime. A homeopathic remedy called Magphos can help relax the muscles in the face. Take 12X potency of Magphos three times a day for a week. If you notice the grinding has reduced, then cut back on the dosage to once a day right before you go to sleep. However, if the treatment doesn't work, then stop the treatment.

Another effective remedy to help stop tooth grinding is to keep your tongue between your teeth. You'll know when you start to grind because it will hurt when you press down on your tongue instead of your teeth. Finally, to stop tooth grinding don't eat at least an hour before you go to bed or at least don't eat foods high in carbohydrates, sugar or caffeine. These foods tend to keep the body active while sleeping, which can bring on tooth grinding and make it worse.