Additional Treatments for Bruxism
Bruxism has no definite cure, treatment or solution. The absence of a single conclusive cure or treatment has actually formulated an entire industry of dubious self-help text, ineffective products and unhelpful advice. However, mentioned below are some essential and popular products and treatments, all of them having reported good results:
Popular Treatments
• Minimize Stress – Many people believe stress to be a key cause for TMJ and bruxism. Stress does not just have a negative effect on your heart; it has an impact on your teeth too. All experts agree that stress in your own life as well as around you contribute majorly to TMJ and bruxism and natural and useful ways are there to help reduce it.
• Your Diet – Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals play a huge role in TMJ and bruxism.try to find which herbs, vegetables and other eatables are required in your diet.
• Sleep Well – One essential factor in curing the condition of bruxism is sleeping well. A number of studies have discovered conclusively that a better sleep directly impacts on reducing nighttime bruxing. Therefore, get a high quality mattress. The temperature of the surrounding environment also has an impact on your sleep. If you can, regulate the temperature around you according to your sleep pattern using an air conditioner. It is most advisable to be not too hot or too cold. Set a suitable temperature that is suitable for you.
• Bruxism Exercises – Doing exercises will relieve tension and pain in the muscles, preventing bruxism:
1. Tongue Exercise – People having daytime bruxism are recommended to practice a habit that is particularly designed to discourage clenching when an individual is neither speaking nor eating. To do this exercise, you are required to place your tongue tip on the top portion near your front teeth, as if you are going to say “nnn”. This exercise will help prevent your jaws from clenching. You can even set a reminder on your phone to do this exercise repeatedly during the day till it turns into an unconscious habit.
2. Yawning Exercise – In case you sense that the muscles of your jaw are contracted or cramped, just yawn for a while to stretch your jaw muscles.
3. Jaw Massage – In case you are consistently experiencing jaw pain, try massaging the joint of your jaw. To massage, gently press your fingertips onto the joint muscles and form small circles with them. Make sure you don’t clench during this exercise. A very effective way to perform this massage is to shower and let warm water run over the sensitive portions as you massage them gently with your fingertips.
4. Thumb Massage (A Chinese technique for healing) – This is another way to minimize the pressure and tension in your facial muscles. Press on the point that is between both your eyebrows with the help of your thumb making nine circles in clockwise direction.
5. Oil Massage – To reduce tension in the muscles and to relax the area around the jaw, use a warm and stimulating oil like lavender, rosemary, or cinnamon oil to numb and soothe. You can do this massage by dipping your fingertips into the oil. Then gently use your fingertips to massage your jaw and cheeks. You can even tap softly on your jaw and cheeks using the tips of your fingers.
6. Warm Compress – To relieve pain, you can even use a facecloth that is soaked in warm or hot water. Remove the cloth from the water and wring the water out of the cloth and gently press it against the joints of your jaw (TMJ) until it cools.
• Natural Biofeedback – Use ‘natural biofeedback’- tell your sleeping partner or spouse to awaken you every time you brux. When awake, use the restroom and make sure your bedding and nightwear is comfortable. This will apply on to your sleeping partner, spouse or child if they are habitual bruxers. This method disturbs a person’s sleep and they may be tired when they wake up as they have been woken up a number of times during the night. However, an uncomfortable bed or a full bladder can indeed be the causes of bruxism, which can then reduce the possibility of the bruxer being woken up no more than once or maybe twice, giving them the benefit of sleeping better after that.
• Nose Obstruction Technique – Nose obstruction is a well-known way of preventing nighttime bruxism. This happens when breathing is partially blocked from the nostrils. This is quite a surprising cure as people with deviating nasal septums state that their disorder is associated with their nose being blocked! The fact, however, remains that some people with a clear nasal passage have minimized their bruxing by obstructing their nasal airway partially. To do this, you can place a rape across your nostrils and pierce a hole on the tape over each nostril. A few people use swimming plugs or toilet paper to block their nose. This apparently compels them to breathe using their mouth, which constantly remains open and prevents bruxing. However, this method involves certain risks – it is not advisable to use this method if an individual has recently consumed alcohol, has a cold or has difficulty breathing through their mouth. Mouth-breathing can dry your mouth when you wake up. Consult your doctor prior to using this technique and be aware of all the risks involved before trying.
• The Taste-Based Technique – A really awkward but remarkably effective appliance involving very bad tastes.
• Daily Plan – This is a highly recommended daily plan made using information taken from various articles relating to treatments of bruxism.
Popular and Effective Products For Treatment of Bruxism
The NTI Pressure Suppressor System – This is a new appliance for treating bruxism and is known as NTI-TSS (NTI Tension Suppression System). This appliance fits above the top incisors in the front preventing them from coming into contact. It works to reduce muscle tension. Your personal dentists can customize this device according to your mouth very quickly. This product can be bought only by a licensed physician or dentist.