Relief for Grinding Teeth

Hi, I'm Dr. Ross. Are you prone to grinding your teeth? This condition known as bruxism can make your face and your jaw ache. It can even break teeth. It can also cause painful jaw problems known as temporal mandibular disorders, or TMD. An estimated 10 to 35 million Americans, mostly women, are teeth grinders.

And no one knows what causes TMD, but people with this condition have heightened pain sensitivity and is associated with fibromyalgia, headaches and chronic back pain. The good news is that the best are usually the simplest. If you're a grinder try these strategies for relief. Use a dental night guard to prevent teeth grinding and jaw clenching.

Use hot and cold compresses to ease to pain take ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce inflammation, and finally, manage stress. Try this progressive relaxation technique start your feet and move up your body, tensing each muscle group for 10 seconds, then releasing it quickly. Breathe evenly and deeply, if it hurts to tense any area, it's ok, skip it.

I'm Dr. Ross. For more ways to fight pain and feel great, catch all of our health tips right here.