My Significant Other Complains of My Clenching Teeth At Night

If your partner is hearing you make grinding noises while you are asleep, you may have a condition called Bruxism. Bruxism is a common condition exhibited as grinding or clenching of teeth and is found in 3% of the population which is about 30-40 million children and adults in the US.

Causes and Symptoms

Bruxism that occurs during sleep is generally attributed to daytime stress or anxiety. Some even attribute it to sleep apnea, snoring, excessive use of alcohol or caffeine or smoking and sometimes anti-depressants. If you have bruxism you make exhibit the following symptoms:

• Your partner observes a grinding sound at night
• You wake up with a pain or sore jaws
• Occasional swelling of the lower jaw
• Long lasting pain in the face

Treatment and How to Best Deal with It?

Don’t worry; while Bruxism cannot be treated but it can be managed by with some simple tips. Here is how you can make the experience a less painful one.

• Wearing a bite guard: If you consult your dentist, he may fit you with a mouth guard. It is available at drugstores but it is recommended that you get a custom made one that fits your teeth properly and isn’t much of an inconvenience. However, some dentists are of the opinion that, the mouth guard is only treating the symptom by preventing you from grinding your teeth way too much. They also think that a mouth guard further reduces the size of your airway and makes sleep apnea worse.
• Consider Therapy: If your bruxism is due to stress you should consider options that can reduce your stress. You may also try to write down the negative thoughts before you go to sleep, so that you can let go of the negativity.
• Try the mindful awareness technique: Make yourself aware of the tension in your jaw before you go to sleep. Try to open and relax your jaw and repeat the process if you wake up at night.
• Consider a sleep study: If sleep apnea is the underlying cause, your doctor will suggest that you undergo a sleep study.
• Ask your partner for help: If your partner finds you grind your teeth, ask him to give you a slight nudge so that you can wake up and be aware.
• Cut down on alcohol and caffeine: Alcohol consumption can intensify grinding, so you should avoid alcohol. You should also try to reduce the amount of foods that contain caffeine.
• Jaw exercises: If you consult with a physical therapist or a chiropractor he can recommend exercises that can relax your jaw as well as strengthen it.

You can also use muscle-relaxants and make simple lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, drinking more water, not chewing gum etc. Consulting a medical practitioner and getting to the source of the problem will give you the best way forward.