The dentist
Most teeth grinding is related to a bite that isn’t perfect. People do clench their teeth because they are stressed, but we also find minor defects in the way they are biting. All this happens at night, and quite often, patients go through this without any pain. We see patients who get into middle age and have worn their teeth down almost to gum level, with no pain. Those who are in pain are more likely to be grinding from stress. If you get clicking noises in the jaw when eating French bread, say, you may be grinding in your sleep.
The plastic gum shield, known as a bite-raiser, breaks that habit of clenching the jaw. Patients wear them at night for a week or so and then can stop. If the grinding starts again years later, they can wear it again for a week. The bite raiser is really effective and quick and we charge £85 for a standard one. There’s also the Tanner appliance, which is custom-made, metal and fits on to the bottom teeth. It costs £300-400.
Martin Fallowfield, dentist and British Dental Association spokesman
The sleep doctor
If you are stressed, you may experience more than one parasomnia — grinding is associated with sleep talking, and kicking and punching. There doesn’t appear to be a reason for grinding, other than the jaw being such a strong and overused muscle.There are all sorts of inexplicable things that happen during the night, such as sleep walking, talking, and teeth grinding. These are known as parasomnias. Anxiety and stress, and anything that can disturb sleep can precipitate these events.
As with any of the stress-related parasomnias, there’s little you can do other than trying to get a better night’s sleep. Wind your mind and body down before sleep, to switch off from the stresses of the day. It could be anything that relaxes you — yoga, reading a good book, listening to your favourite album. If you feel your jaw tensing up as you’re drifting off, it’s likely that you’ll do it when you sleep. So listen to your body, and relax your face.
Dr Neil Stanley
The hypno-psychotherapist
We all have a tendency to run away from things that are bothering us. Bruxism exists because of unreleased anxiety at a subconscious level. The dental response is to issue a gum shield, but they are awful to sleep with. They focus on the symptom, rather than the driver of the behaviour. Origins of bruxism almost always lie in childhood — it can be triggered by current stress or trauma, but patients almost always seem to have had an anxious predisposition thrust on them. Even a small experience such as a cross word from a parent, or having your finger trapped in a door in infancy can internalise a fear or anger. I help patients to go to the origin of the problem and reprocess the subconscious. Each night, take an appraisal of the day: are you holding on to any stresses or angers? Is your boss antagonising you? How is your relationship going? Find a way to let go of these things. Teeth grinding is an acquired behaviour and you can release yourself from it.
Peter Field, hypno and psychotherapist
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