Today, cosmetic and general dentistry have solutions for almost every dental issue. But for some problems like bruxism, various cosmetic or general dentistry procedures are fruitless.

Bruxism is the term for unintentional teeth grinding and clenching. Prolonged teeth grinding and clenching can result in jaw disorders, headaches, earaches, facial pain, and damaged teeth problems. So how can we stop bruxism?

If you ask your general dentistry expert, they may suggest you wear a mouthguard or an occlusal appliance. Although these guards won’t stop you from unintentional grinding, they will prevent your teeth from wear and fractures. So the question still exists, “how do you stop or prevent bruxism?” You can try some of these easy tips.

1. Take a Warm Water Bath

If you only experience sleep bruxism (teeth grinding during your sleep), this solution can be helpful for you. Warm water can help relax your jaw muscles. So take a warm water bath right before you go to bed. You can even use a heating pad or a washcloth dipped in warm water against your jaw muscles to relax them and sleep peacefully.

2. Don’t Bite Hard Items

Chewing or biting pens, pencils, nails, or other hard items will enable your jaw muscles to get used to clenching. Doing so will also make you more likely to grind your teeth unintentionally. Therefore, don’t chew or bite anything except food.

3. Avoid Chewy Foods

If you are already suffering from bruxism, you must not eat anything that will only add up to the habit of putting your jaw muscles to work. Thus, avoid eating chewing gum, hard and sticky jellies, popcorn, and other chewy foods. This will ease soreness and give your jaw a break.

4. De-stress

One of the most significant reasons for bruxism is stress. When you are anxious, tensed, stressed, depressed, or nervous, you tend to clench unknowingly. In stressful situations where there is no easy way to express and diffuse stressful emotions, grinding and clenching may provide a physically soothing alternative. Relaxing techniques such as yoga, meditation, massages, soothing music, or a favourite hobby can provide vital relief not only from bruxism but also from stressful emotions.

5. Opt for Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a technique designed to help people become aware of and eliminate harmful behaviour, including bruxism. During this process, a biofeedback therapist will teach you how to control your jaw muscle movements through visual, vibratory, or auditory feedback generated from electromyography.

6. Exercise

Yes, basic exercises can help you to say goodbye to your bruxism. Yawning up to 5-10 times in a row, sticking your tongue to the roof of your mouth regularly, simple neck exercises, and massaging your jaw muscles can eventually prevent you from grinding and clenching.

Try these tips and see if you find any difference in your teeth grinding and clenching pattern. If your bruxism still exists, talk to your general dentistry expert and opt for more serious solutions such as Botox treatment or a surgical process.