Visit Your Dentist
Another way to diagnose bruxism is to call on a professional. Your dentist can examine your mouth and jaw for symptoms such as jaw tenderness, ground-down teeth, and damage. Your dentist can also prescribe a mouth guard to prevent future grinding and protect your teeth and jaw.
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Break Bad Chewing Habits
To help you break bad teeth grinding habits, look at your go-to stress habits in daily life. For instance, do you chew on pencils and pens when stressed at work? This daytime bad habit can transfer to a nighttime bad habit. So be conscious of bad chewing behaviors during the day to ensure you are only chewing on food.
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Avoid Stress
Reducing your stress level is another way to combat bruxism. Most teeth grinding cases are linked to further stress during sleep. So be sure to avoid using backlit electronics like smart phones, tablets, and laptops at least 3 hours before bed. Also, get adequate exercise, take regular yoga classes, meditate, listen to soothing music, take baths before bed, and work on banishing stress from your life.
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Examine Your Diet
What you eat when you’re awake can have a lot to do with your mood and sleep patterns. For instance, those who lack certain essential vitamins and nutrients in their diets are prone to restless slumber and teeth grinding. If you are calcium or magnesium deficient (2 vitamins that prevent muscle spasms while promoting healthy muscle function and nervous system support), take a daily multivitamin or supplement with meals.