bruxism

Bruxism, the unconsciously gritting or grinding of the teeth in times of stress or during sleep occurs more often than many people think.  Constant grinding of the teeth eventually leads to tooth damage and pain in the jaw.  It often occurs when one is asleep and not really detected unless there has been significant damage to the teeth.  One solution that has been found to help treat this type of problem is to significantly reduce stress in your daily life and one way to achieve that is to practice relaxation techniques.  Relaxation therapy techniques such as autogenic relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, meditation, tai chi, and yoga have been found to slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow to major muscles, reduce muscle tension and pain, improve concentration, and reduce anger problems and frustrations to name a few.  Also, to prevent further tooth damage, your dentist might recommend you wear an occlusal guard while asleep.  It’s also known as a mouthguard or nightguard.