Because of nightly teeth grinding I was told by my dentist that I needed to wear a plastic mouth guard to save my teeth. He would fit it. The cost, $500, I'm not kidding. That was way out of my price range. Wal-Mart carries the Doctors Mouth Guard for only $20. I fit it myself, and it worked great. But wait, this cheap little piece of plastic didn't seem worth $20. I strolled over to the sporting goods department, and found a clear plastic mouth guard for 97 cents. Again, it moulded to my teeth to perfection. I just love when I save $499.03.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have been wearing a night guard for Bruxism (grinding teeth) for 20 years. Even with the guard and 2 or 3 vistis a year to a great dentist, I have sore teeth and gums. The doctor suggests I see an ENT for further advice. If you have had treatment for Bruxism, I am very interested in hearing about it as far as techniques used and success.
I got trained to do biofeedback at the recommendation of my doctor. It really helped me to learn how to relax the muscles of my jaw. The key with biofeedback is to practice it every day and develop the skill. Now I try to do it every night before I go to sleep.
Also, at one point my doctor had me taking triple dose ibuprophen to help relax the muscles. That didn't work for me because it upset my stomach.
I don't grind my teeth but I do clench them which causes headaches. My massage therapist and chiropractor have helped greatly. Something about when your muscles are tense your body tries to relieve the tension by clenching the teeth. Ask people to recommend a good chiropractor/massage therapist. It would be good if they specialized in head and neck. Hope you find relief! God bless you!
I am with you, because I'm a bruxer from way back, and I've had two teeth need root canal from it when they had never had a filling or cavity or any other trauma. I haven't been helped by night guards because I take them out without waking up, since they feel so foreign.
According to "Prescription for Nutritional Healing", a book by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Bruxism can develop if the teeth are sensitive to heat and cold. Stress, allergies and nutrient deficiencies are often the cause of tooth grinding, which can also involve blood sugar levels. Essential nutrients are Calcium and magnesium, Pantothenic Acid and vitamin B Complex. The recommended doses are in the book, as well as other suggested nutrients. A splint from the dentist can prevent tooth damage, and biofeedback is helpful for overcoming bruxism in some cases. A library may carry this book.
I did forget to say that I too went to a massage therapist who massaged the muscles by putting her fingers inside my mouth. It was extremely painful so I did not continue that therapy for very long.
I did this therapy about 15 years ago. So perhaps they now have another massage therapy that is better.
