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@joheet 36
I tend to grind my teeth, Do I have to consider treatments for this?
Hi AskDr, I tend to grind my teeth a lot and very loudly when I sleep at night it wakes my gf up when she stays over. Do I have to consider treatments for this? There are some mornings where my jaws feel achy but generally they're fine. I've tried wearing mouth guards but apparently I still make sounds that wake my gf up. In terms of health concerns, is this something to worry about? What treatments are there for this condition and are they costly?
#bruxism #grinding #teeth
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Dr. Beth Sverified
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Hey Joheet! Thank you for your question. Grinding while sleeping happens to many of us and the intensity / frequency tends to be due to stress. It is important to treat and address active grinding to prevent long term fatigue of your muscles and jaw joint (temporomandibular joint) so here are some suggestions: 1. Night guard : soft / medium / hard / duo layer bilaminate find one that works for you and wear it. grinding down the guard is better than grinding down your teeth 2. Botulinium Toxin A aka Botox to the Jaw (masseter) muscle: helps to get the muscle relaxed and often decrease the force of grinding. Though not a long term solution, it is effective in reprogramming your subconscious state of mind. 3. Good sleep hygiene: No television / phones / psychological stimulants for 30 minutes before bedtime. A highly stimulated mind before bedtime has a tendency towards more grinding while sleeping as well. I hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have more questions. Warm regards Dr Beth Seow BDS Ireland Hons
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@joheet
Thanks for your answer Dr @BethSeow, this is definitely very helpful. May I enquire how effective option 2 Botox is and how long it will last for? Will try option 1. Option 3 not the easiest but will try too.
Dr. Beth Sverified
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Hey Joheet! Glad to help. Botox does help to decrease active grinding and effects lasts 3-6 months usually, after which 3 monthly top ups are usually needed. The first dose lasts the longest.