I have a weird way of stressing out...

[PrincessCKNY]

OK...I need some help from the people w/ some medical knowledge here.

Basically, I think I have this thing called Bruxism (not sure...just saw it when doing some research online) where I grind and clench my teeth at night when I go to sleep. It's worse since I wear retainers at night. When I wake up, sometimes my jaw may be clenched, or my jaw and temples are totally sore.

I am a fairly stressed out person, and I try to relieve it by working out and listening to music, but it doesn't seem to help. I'm just afraid I'll be all gums by the time I'm 25. Hopefully, graduating from school will relieve some stress.

Anything I can do, without having to wear a bite plate in my mouth at night?

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[Olanzapine]

Of course you should see your doctor for real medical advice, but I had never heard of your condition and did a quick search of webmd and found this:
<a href="http://my.webmd.com/encyclopedia/article/4115.13962#tn1371" target="_blank">http://my.webmd.com/encyclopedia/article/4115.13962#tn1371</a>

Some of the medical alternatives to wearing a plate in your mouth that they suggest are taking a tricyclic antidepressant or taking a benzodiazepene (like valium) to help you relax. You also might want to try some different relaxation techniques before you go on medicine too.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

TMJ, TMJ, TMJ!

You are giving yourself TMJ, I do believe. I have it and is common when people grind their teeth at night (although that isn't my problem). Do you have a headache all day, does your jaw pop, etc. Those are some of the symptoms. You need to see a doc or a dentist about it. My dentist had to make a little clear mouth appliance for me to wear.

Good luck.

 

[T.C.]

Am relatively non-stressed, but grind my teeth at night. Been told, like most things, it's a combo of nature and nurture. Anyhow, you can go to the dentist and get fit for a mouthguard, but have to warn you this is $$$, though it is effective- hard enough so that teeth don't grind but soft enough so that enamel won't wear off. Not so tough to get used to after a few days of wearing it. I would recommend trying an over-the-counter new product called "The Doctor's Night Guard"- sells for about $20 I think. Never tried it myself, but if it works like a mouthguard, will save you around $500. This should solve headache problems if these are due to teeth nerves. If it is a headache due to the pressure of griniding, maybe the above poster's response is better. Good luck.

T.C.

 

[DrBlueDevil]

I worked as a lab tech for a maxillofacial prosthedontist for a summer, and my job was mainly to make bite guards and bleaching trays. BELIEVE ME! It's worth the investment in a bite guard to avoid destroying your only set of natural teeth. If you keep grinding your teeth, they'll end up damaged and cause you way more pain and money than you'd want to spend.

 

[Premed2003]

When I get stressed (ie before a test), my jaw locks during the night. Sometimes it takes a while for me to unlock it. It's scary. Fortunately, it doesn't happen too often. Have other people had this jaw locking experience? I asked my orthodontist about it since my retainer seems to help a bit, and he said it's from stress...he didn't say I need to do anything drastic to prevent it from happening, so I hope it's not something too serious.

 

[pocwana]

never thought i'd post to sdn about this, but i get the jaw locking thing too. i haven't noticed a stress correlation. i'll have to keep that in mind next time it happens. i notice it mostly when i wake up. it doesn't happen regularly, but every once in a while it happens for a couple of days straight. it's really annoying when i'm trying to eat and can't even open my fricking mouth to take a bite to eat. i asked my dentist about it. she said it was probably TMJ and recommended consulting a surgeon. of course, just the consult would be $100. i just opted for the teeth cleaning.

 

[Premed2003]

pocwana,

My experience has been I wake up in the middle of the night and can't open my mouth beyond like 2 cm. One side of my jaw is locked. So then I move it as much as I can and kind of many circles, or do whatever I can to unlock it. Sometimes it unlocks right away, but once it took me an hour. I was half asleep and was scared, but kept trying to open it, and it finally opened! Yikes.

I've never had the problem when I'm awake or eating--just sleeping.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Wow. I have never heard of anyone with these jaw locking experience until now. Does it have something to do with premed stress?

 

[missbonnie]

Hey-

I think this is fairly common actually. I was diagnosed with it too a few years ago and got a custom made nightguard. Of course I don't wear it though, but I think it has subsided.

I now have braces though which is why I think I don't grind anymore. You really need to wear the nigth guard, it's not a "permanent" thing -- the whole point is to "train" your muscles to not clench and grind. After some time (I forget how long I was supposed to wear it), you need to wear it much less frequently and then only occasionally. Beats having worn down teeth.

-b

 

[pocwana]

okay, just to clarify, i think there are two things going on here. the teeth grinding and the jaw locking. i don't think i grind my teeth at night, just get the jaw locking thing, usually in the a.m. just after i wake up. i think it first happens during the night, but i'm such a heavy sleeper that i don't notice it until i wake up.

the first time it happened, i was so freaked out, i couldn't really talk and i called my dentist but they were closing and told me i could come in as an emergency the next morning. by then, i had worked it loose, but i was freaked out for awhile. sometimes, though, i can't work it loose and I have to pop it. it's somewhat painful, but the sound of the popping magnifies the pain to make it just scary.

i wonder if this night guard thing would help me out. i don't have a retainer, but Premed2003, did your dentist recommend the retainer?

as far as being a result of premed stress...i've been a premed for awhile but it only started happening within the past year or so. and i have so much other stress (e.g. family) that premed stuff isn't that much more.

 

[Bikini Princess]

wow i never knew we premeds had so many occupational ailments!

 

[SMW]

The main problem with bruxism isn't wearing down your teeth from above, but making them flex and break down the enamel at the gumline. My dentist says since we're all stressed and living longer, we need to wear these mouthguards if we want to keep our teeth. Of course, what with fluoride and all, maybe it's a way to keep him in business. Sorry, all you predents, for the cynicism.

 

[Premed2003]

My retainer is not for TMJ. I got a retainer after my braces came off...I think the retainer might work like a TMJ nightguard works because it kind of prevents from mouth from fulling closing and clenching...but sometimes my jaw locks anyway.

It actually hasn't happened in a while Yay! But around MCAT time things weren't good with my jaw

Yeah, this premed stuff isn't good for our health. We're going to get gray soon! <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" />