8 Tips to Help You Stop Clenching Your Jaw at Night

Stop Clenching Your Jaw at Night

Most people know they tend to clench their jaw when stressed, but clenching your jaw when you’re asleep may be a habit you haven’t noticed. If you wake up with headaches or sore jaws every morning, you may have been clenching during your sleep and not even realized it. Fortunately, there are several ways to stop clenching your jaw at night so you can get the rest and relief you deserve from those nagging aches and pains that could keep you up at night.

1) Train your brain to relax

Clenching your jaw is a common problem. When you sleep, you may unconsciously clench or grind your teeth, leading to headaches and a sore jaw in the morning. To avoid clenching your jaw while sleeping, try these tips: - Place a tennis ball under your chin for ten minutes before bedtime. - Wrap dental wax around your upper teeth with floss between them.

2) Try a different pillow

Most people who clench their jaws during sleep do so because they have a habit of clenching their jaws when awake. This is especially true if you work on a computer all day or have some other kind of repetitive motion. One way to break the habit is to use a different pillow than the one you use in your bed.

3) Use a mouthguard

A mouthguard is your best friend when it comes to jaw clenching. A mouth guard will act as a barrier between your teeth, preventing them from contacting one another and causing damage. These are often made of soft plastic or silicone and can be found in the dental care aisle of your local pharmacy. The most popular form of mouth guard is the boil-and-bite variety. To use this mouth guard, you must place it in boiling water for about 10 seconds.

4) Relax your jaw muscles during the day

The first step is identifying why you clench your jaw. If it’s because you grind your teeth, try to relax the muscles in your jaw during the day so that they can rest and recover. If it’s because of anxiety, try to identify what triggers those feelings and then find some way to manage them. Doing these things should help reduce or eliminate nighttime jaw clenching.

5) Get regular dental checkups

Regular dental checkups are a vital part of managing your jaw clenching. They allow your dentist to identify potential problems before they become an emergency and help you learn how to stop grinding your teeth at night. They may also recommend oral appliances that can be used while sleeping or even awake, preventing the jaws from closing and rubbing together. In addition, sometimes your dentist will recommend removing tooth enamel from problem teeth to relieve the pressure that causes jaw clenching at night.

6) Avoid caffeine before bed

Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages before bedtime. Caffeine makes the body produce more adrenaline, making your jaw clench or grind your teeth when you sleep. Also, avoid chewing gum before bed as this may increase jaw clenching and tooth grinding while you sleep. If possible, drink a glass of water before bed. The water will activate your salivary glands so that if you experience jaw clenching, it won’t cause damage to your teeth and gums.

This post is about how to stop grinding teeth at night and jaw clenching at night: 8 tips for you!

7) Manage stress

Stress is a natural and inevitable part of life. Everyone experiences it from time to time, but the key is managing it. If stress is causing you to clench your jaw during the night, here are eight tips that will help you stop grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw:

1. Take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, taking short breaks throughout the day, practicing good posture while sitting or standing, and engaging in some physical activity daily. 

2. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation. 

3. Reduce caffeine intake to minimize sleeplessness and withdrawal symptoms. 

4. Avoid drinking alcohol within 3-4 hours of bedtime because it can disrupt your sleep cycle and increase snoring, which may cause you to grind down on your lower front teeth when sleeping, resulting in jaw pain and headaches when waking up; if necessary switch to nonalcoholic beverages before bedtime instead.

8) See a doctor or dentist if the problem persists

See a doctor or dentist if you’re experiencing jaw clenching and grinding your teeth at night. It would be best to find out the underlying cause and how it can be fixed. Several things could be causing the problem, so it’s best not to ignore it. For example, tooth pain may indicate an abscessed tooth or another dental problem. Other causes of nighttime grinding include temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), an oral appliance called a mandibular advancement device (MAD) that can shift the upper and lower jaws forward and reposition them, so they fit together more comfortably.