Bay Shore NY cosmetic dentist Stops the Grind!
While your Bay Shore NY cosmetic dentist has discussed the issue of bruxism in blogs previously and we make sure to offer comprehensive TMJ-related treatments- it remains a problem that never goes away.
Almost every day we see new patients who suffer from this teeth grinding condition and we do everything we can to help them. Unfortunately, as most who suffer from bruxism know, most of the damage occurs outside of our office doors.
With that in mind, today we will be going over a few teeth grinding tips that you can try to utilize in your everyday life to help you in your battle against bruxism!
- Be conscious of your teeth spacing: if you are a day grinder (diurnal bruxism), try to keep a space between your teeth at all times. It will be hard at first because of the automatic habit you have gotten into with your grinding, but it is doable! Try to make sure the only time your teeth touch is when you eat.
- Utilize relaxation techniques: try putting your fist under your chin, open and close your mouth, then press your chin down against your first as it pushes up. Using the muscles in this way can help reduce some tightness in your jaw, as well as help relax, or even tire, the jaw and keep it from wanting to grind.
- Use pain relievers to treat associated pain: if you are on the receiving end of headaches from your bruxism, your basic pain reliever will do the trick. There has been no solid proof that medicines like muscle relaxers or even anti-anxiety medication can do much to help with bruxism, so should not be seen as a source of relief.
- Wear your night guard: talk to your Bay Shore NY cosmetic dentist about getting a custom fit mouth guard you can wear at night that will prevent bruxism. This is often seen as one of the best ways of battling the condition.
We hope that by trying some of these techniques outside of the office you may see some extended relief from your bruxism. If you have any further questions concerning teeth grinding, treatments or prevention- make sure to ask your Bay Shore NY cosmetic dentist at your next appointment.
You can schedule that appointment by calling us today at (631) 665-8484.