TMJ Help Program

Jaw clenching and teeth grinding — or to use the medical term ‘bruxism’ — is an issue we come across quite often here in our hypnotherapy practice in the UK

Many times the person suffering from bruxism is referred by a particularly insightful dentist who realises that this condition is linked to psychological causes. Still other clients self-refer themselves for grinding teeth, calling to make an appointment when they realise that this is a problem that simply won’t go away on its own.

Very often the person suffering from bruxism – known as a ‘bruxer’ – finds him or herself grinding teeth while sleeping and may have been given a plastic mouth guard to wear at night in order to prevent further damage to the teeth.

Though such measures may be necessary – and sometimes essential – to immediately safeguard the teeth, they are best used as a short-term solution.

No-one really denies that having to sleep with a plastic mouth guard in place is a pretty uncomfortable way to get a good night’s sleep.

Of course, a mouth guard works only at the symptom level. Yet it does not address the driver, the real reason that causes a person to grind his or her teeth in the first place.

And this is where effective hypnotherapy can be extremely useful.

In my clinical experience of treating this condition, I have often found a real degree of underlying stress and anxiety acting as a trigger for teeth grinding and jaw clenching.

For some, the origins of bruxism lie in the present or in the recent past — a poor relationship, or stressful job, for example.

Yet many times its cause can be traced back to some apparently unrelated experience in the person’s past – often, though not always, having occurred in childhood. This anxiety provoking experience was perhaps perceived as being unfair and so it naturally caused a feeling of anger which was not expressed at the time it was generated.

Human emotions, as we know, can be extremely powerful things. Yet one thing we can be sure of is that they are also relatively short-lived – except when they are denied and buried inside, when they are forced down and bottled up.

When this happens then they never really give us peace. Like monsters from the deep, they keep on returning and vying for our attention, making their presence known in one way or another until they can no longer be ignored or denied.

When this stage is reached, they need to be properly processed and effectively taken care of if further problems are to be avoided.

You see, because the anxiety or the anger was not allowed real expression – or ‘processed’ – at the time it was felt, this powerful energy became internalised. And the result of this, of course, is that when the person’s conscious mind is ‘off guard’ – focused on other matters, day dreaming or asleep, for example – the subconscious mind finds a way to release some of its energy, grabbing the attention by clenching the jaw and grinding the teeth.

In a way, it’s as though the subconscious is trying to ‘get its teeth into’ the anger or anxiety or stress and release it.

Unfortunately, what it is doing is not resolving the underlying issues that continue to generate the stress, anxiety, or anger, but to damage the individual’s teeth and seriously jeopardise their oral health.

Effective hypno-psychotherapy for bruxism consists in first teaching the individual’s subconscious mind an alternative and less harmful way of dealing with anxiety, stress and anger while sleeping etc.

With this accomplished, the underlying reasons for this behaviour are next uncovered and effectively neutralised.

Through the advanced techniques of transformational hypnotherapy, the subconscious mind can be helped to ‘re-process’ the past experience so that the mind no longer needs to find release by forcing the body into jaw clenching and teeth grinding behaviours.

If you have been experiencing the damaging and all too worrying condition of teeth grinding known as bruxism, then a fully trained and qualified transformational hypnotherapist can really help you put an end to this worrying situation.

In properly trained and experienced hands, transformational hypnotherapy can indeed bring real relief from bruxism, allowing you to sleep without having to suffer the discomfort of a night guard.

If you have a problem with grinding your teeth at night (bruxism), your dentist may recommend getting a mouth guard. There are several problems with that option, the most obvious being that the night guard will not cure the teeth grinding.

If your dentist makes a custom bruxism mouth guard for you it will not be cheap. These types of mouth guards usually run between $500.00 to $700.00 and they will wear down over time. The mouth guard’s purpose is to prevent further damage to your teeth and so instead of your teeth being damaged you will be “damaging” the night guard. Over time your teeth will grind away the mouth guard and then another expensive one will have to be made. It is a never ending process.

Having to wear a bruxism night guard for the rest of your life may be problematic as well. When you first get your mouth guard you will probably wear it every night but, lets face it, how long is that likely to continue? Every one of us who have had braces or some night time apparatus to help align their teeth knows that we couldn’t wait until they came off. With a night time bruxism mouth guard will it be that much different? Wearing a mouth guard to bed at night is just not a comfortable thing to do for the rest of your life.

This leads to the conclusion that a bruxism mouth guard may not be the best long terms solution to the problem. It can be a temporary band aid but the teeth grinding will still be continuing and not be cured. Is there a cure for bruxism? Many feel that bruxism has to do with stress and stress related issues in a person’s life. Dealing with that stress may be the solution for some people while it may not help others. There are other ways to tackle bruxism head on. They will probably not work overnight but they will set you on your way to curing bruxism rather than just putting a band aid over it.

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the formal name for a potentially serious condition which can adversely affect your health. Bruxism is the unconscious action of clenching or grinding teeth, usually at night.

Who suffers from Bruxism?

Studies suggest that between 8% of the population suffer from the condition at any one time, but up to 80% of the population suffer from bruxism at some time during their lives. The etiology of bruxism is multifactorial, but stress is thought to be a major factor. Both women and men suffer from the condition, although women appear to be more susceptible.

What are the effects of Bruxism?

Bruxism sufferers can present many symptoms, including one or more of the following:

a) damage to teeth and dental work b) early morning headache c) disturbed sleep d) noises from teeth clenching or grinding during sleep e) TMJ pain or jaw pain f) neck stiffness and pain g) back and shoulder pain and discomfort.

What treatments are available?

The most common treatment for bruxism is a night guard that is worn at night. Dentists will usually recommend a night guard to help protect the teeth from the affects of bruxism. Other, non conventional treatments, such as hypnotherapy are also available but there is often limited clinical evidence to support the efficacy of such treatments.

Until relatively recently, the only choice has been an expensive custom made night guard, bite guard or splint appliance made by your dentist costing from £100 to £700. Over the last few years, orthodontic manufacturers have produced various types of night guards that can be fitted by the patient. However, not all night guards are the same. For example, some night guard manufacturers require you to boil the product and then put melted plastic in your mouth to create an impression.

In light of the economic downturn, soaring gas prices and impending election, Americans are reporting unprecedented levels of stress. Stress can be devastating to our overall health and well-being but few people know that it can wreak havoc on your oral health as well. When it comes to stress, your mouth may have something to say.

According to the American Dental Association about 95% of Americans suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) or clinching their teeth at some point in their lives. The main causes for bruxism are stress, tension and anxiety. Bruxism can impact your teeth, facial alignment and overall well-being as well as interrupt sleep patterns and lead to severe jaw pain.

DenTek(R) Oral Care recently launched the Comfort-Fit Nightguard offering sufferers the most comfortable, over-the-counter solution to nighttime teeth grinding available. Comfort-Fit is similar to other nightguards but features key upgrades such as no boiling required, the least material of any nightguard on the market and a smaller, more comfortable lower-teeth fit. Ready to wear right out of the package, it is easily adjustable and costs a fraction of the price of nightguards fitted at a dental office.

Danielle, a 26-year-old teeth-grinding sufferer said, “this nightguard sits comfortably in my mouth and I don’t even notice it during the night! I highly recommend it to anyone. The design is sleek and simple and the product does what it claims.”

“A well-fitting night guard can be a simple solution for protecting your teeth from the ill effects of bruxism,” said Dr. Noshir Mehta, Director of the Craniofacial Pain Center at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. “Severe bruxers grind with such force they could literally crack a walnut with their teeth,” he said.

School starting, kids, dinner, work, bills and just life in general are all enough to make anyone’s head spin. Just thinking about what’s on a to-do list can produce a full-blown migraine.

A community mini-med school seminar on stress entitled – “All Stressed Up and No Place To Go” – will be conducted by Dr. Rosemarie Cannarella, M.D., M.P.H., assistant dean for student services WVU Harpers Ferry Family Medicine and Jefferson Memorial Hospital staff member, and Rebecca McDonald, Ph,D., an advanced nurse practitioner in private practice. The seminar is sponsored by the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Eastern Division and West Virginia University Hospitals-East City Hospital and Jefferson Memorial Hospital and is open to the public. The lecture is free and registration begins at 6:30 p.m. with the seminar starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. James Catholic Church.

A 2007 American Psychological Association pole reports one in three adults say they feel extreme stress. According to a 2004 survey performed by the APA, 73 percent of Americans say money is the main cause affecting their stress level, one in four workers say they have taken a mental health day off from work to cope with stress and 54 percent of workers say they are concerned about health problems caused by stress.

Carol Joseph, coordinator of physician and community education for City Hospital, says that Cannarella and McDonald will address all stress-related issues. She says, “They will give techniques for physically and mentally controlling stress.” Cannarella will discuss the medical effects of stress on the body and McDonald will address calming issues, says Joseph.

Joseph also says that light refreshments will be served following the program and attendees will have an opportunity to speak to each lecturer. “Not everyone is comfortable asking questions in a crowd,” Joseph says.

When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger, she says. This is called the fight-or-flight stress response. The body makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster and give you a burst of energy. Although the fight-or-flight response may be necessary in some instances, like running to the aid of an injured child, when this stress is prolonged, it can be dangerous to your health and overall well-being.

Walter Cannon, a neurologist, introduced the flight-or-flight term and was the first to recognize that stressors could be either emotional or physical.

Scientist Hans Selye was the first to use the word “stress,” which is a term he adopted from physics and engineering, defined as “mutual actions of forces that take place across any section of the body, physical or psychological.” He believed that an excess of stress could be potentially harmful and damage the body.

Stress can be linked to headaches, gastrointestinal upset, back pain, trouble sleeping and either a loss of appetite or stress-eating.

Stress can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. Joseph says statistics show that 66 percent of all illnesses are related to stress. And if you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse.

According to Webmd.com stress can make you moody, tense or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school.

Other than stress affecting the heart, blood pressure, gastrointestinal function and the immune system, the American Dental Association says stress and anxiety can cause teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism) which can lead to fractures in the teeth and result in tooth loss.

MedicineNet.com says that stress is a part of life. Stress has always been around and will always be around. In order to appropriately deal with stress, a person needs to manage their physical and psychological responses to stressors.

MedicineNet.com also says that while there are promising treatments for stress, the management of stress most depends on a person’s willingness to make healthy lifestyle changes. These changes may include adding physical activity, such as an exercise program, changing eating or drinking habits and not only learning about, but utilizing stress reducing techniques, such as yoga or meditation.

Bruxism is the medical term given to the ghastly habit of grinding the teeth. Most people who are suffering from this condition don’t know about it, for they usually clench their teeth during their sleep. Several studies show that bruxism may be related to a person’s state of mind. Depressed individuals tend to grind their teeth while they sleep for certain reasons.

In a certain medical research, it was found out that bruxism could be a person’s response to hidden aggressions, anxieties, and fears. People who tend to keep their emotions to themselves are likely to express it in some other ways. And so during the night, they unconsciously and uncontrollably gnash their teeth.

Depressed individuals, especially those who are not aware of their condition, tend to turn to alcohol to forget about their problems. This is another reason they tend to suffer from bruxism. Alcohol is known to aggravate bruxism.

To treat teeth grinding due to depression, the role of are nutrition, therapy, and anti-depressants come into play. Calcium is the nutrient most recommended for depressed patients suffering from bruxism. It is advisable for such patients to follow a high-calcium diet to help regulate the involuntary movement of their jaw muscles.

However, calcium rich foods from dairy products are not enough. It is also important to take in magnesium that is commonly found in wholegrain, so that calcium can be assimilated. Both calcium and magnesium can correct the poor functions of the muscles and helps calm and control the central nervous system.

Depression patients are advised to go through their regular counseling sessions to fully address their condition. This is best coupled with behavioral correction therapies that can help treat tooth grinding as well. Psychiatrists may prescribe antidepressant drugs to their patients. It is essential to take these drugs regularly as per the instructions of the health expert.

There are also herbal remedies that can help address the cases of teeth grinding that is related to depression. The use of natural herbs and teas can help a lot in releasing tension, stress, and anxiety. The herbs of choice that works especially for this purpose are passionflower, peppermint, hops, fennel, and lemon balm. Drink any of these teas an hour before going to bed for a more relaxed, restful sleep.

Teeth grinding and emotional problems are interrelated. This is the reason why it is very important to know the root cause of the bruxism for the proper treatment to be carried out. A healthy state of mind and good balance of emotions can help a lot in managing teeth grinding and its effects on one’s health.

DO YOU wake up in the morning with an aching jaw, headache, and difficulty opening your mouth? You have probably been grinding your teeth.

Regular grinding, known as bruxism, can wear teeth away and almost rivals snoring on the annoyance scale.

- Stress is believed to be a major role in the condition and it is also linked to the non-alignment of the top and bottom teeth.

- The mind subconsciously tries to correct the position during sleep, triggering the grinding.

- Other causes include snoring and sleep apnoea, where the upper airway relaxes during sleep causing blockage of airflow.

- Drinking tea and coffee or alcohol before going to bed can also increase the chance of tooth grinding.

- Some may be unaware they are grinding away so it’s worth asking the dentist for a check-up.

- Damage to teeth can often be repaired and there are mouth-guards available to help protect from further damage.

You may have to wear this mouth-guard for life and it’s worth finding out if it needs to be renewed as your teeth change.

- If the grinding is due to misalignment you should talk to your dentist about a brace.

- Other possible remedies include hypnosis and behavioural therapy to allow you relax.

- Avoid chewing gum: the repetitive action of chewing is almost identical to the motion of the jaw during bruxism.

- Hold a warm, damp cloth to your face before bedtime to relax the jaw.

We all know that we need to brush and floss every day. Proper brushing removes food debris and bacteria from the teeth. Improper brushing can be abrasive and destructive, causing problems like: receding gums, wearing away of the tooth root, sensitive teeth or weaker teeth. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re brushing destructively, and brushing habits can be hard to break. To avoid destructive tooth brushing these are some factors to keep in mind.

Choose a soft toothbrush. A soft toothbrush also makes it much easier to remove the plaque below the gumline, where periodontal disease starts. You can make the bristles even softer by running hot water over them before use.

Use a pea-sized amount of non-abrasive toothpaste with fluoride. Toothpastes that are labeled “whitening” or “tartar control” can sometimes be too rough on receding gums and exposed roots, wearing away the root’s protective layer. You can be sure a toothpaste is non-abrasive if it’s labeled “sensitive.”

Use proper brushing technique. Angle the bristles of the brush along the gumline at a 45-degree angle and apply just enough pressure so the bristles slide under the gumline. Vibrate the brush while you move it in short back-and-forth strokes and in small circular motions.

Don’t brush too hard. If you’re not sure whether you’re pressing too hard, hold the end of the brush with two fingers. That will give you enough force to get the job done without doing damage. You can also check your brush bristles. If they are bent over or broken, you’ve probably been pressing too hard. If you find that you have a hard time brushing gently, consider using an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes make it much easier to use less pressure.

Tooth abrasion is caused mainly from improper brushing but can also be caused by grinding your teeth, using your teeth as a cutting tool or chewing on hard objects. Tooth abrasion can occur gradually over a period of time or very quickly. Gradual tooth abrasion allows the body to reduce the severity of tooth abrasion as the body has sufficient time to repair itself. Quick tooth abrasion can cause irreversible damage to the pulp and lead to the consequences of tooth abrasion which not only include crooked teeth but also increase tooth sensitivity, infection and ultimately loss of the tooth.

Talk to your dentist about any of your concerns on brushing or other causes of tooth abrasion. Let them show you what you need to know to keep your mouth healthy and bacteria-free without damaging your teeth.

Right now, hypnosis is used to treat a lot of behavioral problems. And during the recent years, experts are taking advantage of its use for bruxism. Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding. Teeth grinding is that annoying sound people unknowingly make while asleep. Bruxism can be caused by a lot of factors. Research show that bruxism could develop due to the physical defects of the jaws and teeth. However, stress is also a big factor why people grind their teeth at night. And it is also on this cause where hypnosis is most effective at. Practitioners say that hypnosis is the best solution to bruxism caused by jaw tension. While a night guard may do a good job in preventing denture damages, it cannot reduce the pain in the head and the neck that are also caused by teeth grinding.

Bruxism patients are required to attend a 30-minute hypnosis session to correct the problem. The therapy could be just one session or more, depending upon the patient’s mental stature. Inside the session, the subconscious of the patient are be taught to feel the sensation created when the upper and lower teeth touches each other. And the moment that happens, the mind is instructed to relax the jaw muscles and create a comfortable space between the teeth. For people who find going to a therapist a little too much on their budget, they could opt for a bruxism hypnosis CD instead.

The CD is best used before sleeping so it is easier to achieve a state of total relaxation. Some people report that using a hypnosis CD is as effective as the one conducted personally by a hypnotherapist. On the average, patients who subjected themselves to hypnosis session for bruxism claim that they experience relief two to three nights after the therapy session.

Luckier patients go through immediate relief. This means that right at the night of the therapy session, they don’t grind their teeth any longer. However, it is important to note that hypnosis, just like other treatment methods, is a healing process. Patients should not be too impatient on the results of the therapy. It could take some time to work, especially on people whose minds are not too accommodative to these types of treatment procedures. If you want to try hypnosis as a permanent solution to bruxism, talk to a hypnotic expert whose proficiency lies on the treatment of bruxism. Local therapists who had gained reputation in the practice are your best choices.

Perhaps you are wondering how to stop bruxism permanently. Or maybe you are wondering if you are suffering from bruxism.

The problem here is that people who are suffering from bruxism may not know that they are a victim because it usually occurs at night while they are sleeping. Unless they have room mates sleeping in the same room, it may take some time before they find out about their condition.

Perhaps, you may want to look out for the following symptoms. If you are suffering from most of the symptoms described below, it is quite likely that you are grinding your teeth at night.

1) You always have unexplained headaches in the morning 2) Your teeth is sensitive to hot and cold food 3) You always wake up at night for no apparent reason 4) You have some chips on your teeth and you don’t know why 5) Your jaws feel very tight and painful, especially in the morning

If you are suffering from these symptoms, it may be time for you to seek treatment. Depending on the causes of your bruxism, the right treatment can stop your bruxism permanently.

The common causes of bruxism includes stress, dental problems and side effects caused by drugs. The respective treatments are stress reduction therapy, surgery to fix your dental problem and the change of drugs.

In these treatment doesn’t help you to stop your bruxism, a dentist may give you a bruxism mouth guard that you have to wear in your mouth. While this is not a permanent solution to stop bruxism, it can at least prevent you from damaging your teeth in the short run.