Bruxism - do you have it?
By applefreak
@applefreak (3130)
Singapore
July 1, 2008 4:46am CST
bruxism is a common but 'untreatable' symptom. it's untreatable for me as that's what my dentist said. do you have bruxism or know someone who has it?
mine is so bad that my partner couldn't stand sleeping beside me. he'd wake up several times during the night when the grinding gets real bad. it gets worse when i'm stressed at home or at work. i've even woken myself with my own grinding. that's how bad it really is. :(
2 responses
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
2 Jul 08
yup so far there's no know cure for it. there had been recommendations of therapy. but it's more like conditioning. no recorded success cases were report yet.
i guess relaxation classes will help to a certain extent. there are days when the grinding is so bad. i couldn't open my mouth wide the next day. the jaw muscles are simply too tired out the night before. ;[
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
3 Jul 08
Then it is best if you can squeeze some time out for relaxation classes.
I heard yoga is quite good.
There is also one that I use from time to time which is quite good too.
Used for relaxing the mind to prepare it for memory techniques, it is pretty good.
I have yet to master the memory techniques cos each time I try, I am so relaxed that I fell a sleep before I can do anything else! 
You can practise this before you sleep.
Lie down on your back.
Close your eyes and try to imagine yourself lying down on a beach. Feel the warmth of the sand on you back.
Imagine the sun over head. Its rays coming down at you from behind a cloud. Slowly, as the rays travel down from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. As the rays travel down, you will fell that body part relax even more. Slowly and surely, as your body relaxes, you will feel it becomes a little heavier. And you feel really relaxed. No tension what so ever in your muscles.
Try it. It is really good!
You can practise this before you sleep.
Lie down on your back.
Close your eyes and try to imagine yourself lying down on a beach. Feel the warmth of the sand on you back.
Imagine the sun over head. Its rays coming down at you from behind a cloud. Slowly, as the rays travel down from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. As the rays travel down, you will fell that body part relax even more. Slowly and surely, as your body relaxes, you will feel it becomes a little heavier. And you feel really relaxed. No tension what so ever in your muscles.
Try it. It is really good!@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
3 Jul 08
this reminds me of a similar technique i learnt. it's like talking to my own body. first i'll concentrate on my toes. i'll 'order' them to go to sleep. slowly work my way up the calf, thigh, abdomen and finaly the head. it's works on days that i find difficult to fall asleep.
i'll try your method out for at least a week. hopefully the aches will slowly go off.
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
3 Jul 08
I've heard about people grinding their teeth in their sleep before but didn't know there was an actual name for it - bruxism.
it looks like a cool scrabble word actually haha.
come to think of it, my husband does grind his teeth when he's sleeping sometimes. but it's not very hard, and not for very long.
so I get awoken by it sometimes, but it doesn't really affect me cos i can sleep easily after that again. what really amuses me is when he talks in his sleep. and has no recollection whatsoever even if I quote it to him the next morning!
dangerous habit to have eh? cannot have an affair - somehow I'll find out haha.
hope the clench inhibitor helps you... not too healthy to wear down your teeth like this. perhaps some soothing music before you sleep would help as well. :)
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
4 Jul 08
hahaha talking in his sleep. that's really dangerous and might spoil the fun sometimes. can you imagine him planning a surprise party for you then blurt it out when he sleeps? that'll be such a spoiler. lol.
i guess grinding some times is not too bad. still i'd recommend that he see a dentist. if he is wearing his teeth down by all that grinding, at least can arrest the problem early. it actually takes quite a lot of effort to produce sound by grinding. if it's loud enough to wake you, i'd say it's a problem. cheers ;p
