Bruxism is the professional medical name for teeth grinding in sleep or whilst awake and the associated clenching of the jaw. A great many people will grind their teeth to a degree, without the symptoms or complications. When the grinding becomes prolonged, however, it can result in tooth problems, migraines and earache. This article will explain how to stop teeth grinding in sleep using hypnotherapy. For more details of hypnotherapy sessions in London click here. Read more here to discover how to stop teeth grinding and how hypnosis for bruxism can form part of your treatment plan.
How to stop teeth grinding in sleep using hypnotherapy explained
The teeth grinding action that takes place with bruxism is unconscious. For this reason hypnotherapy to stop teeth grinding in sleep can be effective, as the treatment method works on an unconscious level. Anxiety and stress are frequently connected to teeth grinding. These are two concerns that can also be tackled with hypnotherapy.
What is teeth grinding?
Characterised by jaw clenching and teeth grinding, can lead to tooth harm and jaw complications. Believed to affect close to 8-10% of the population, the problem is categorised into two types – awake bruxism and sleep bruxism.
Awake bruxism, as its name indicates, takes place when you’re awake. Generally, there’s no teeth grinding, just jaw clenching in response to certain stimuli. Sleep bruxism occurs when you are asleep and generally consists of both grinding and jaw muscle contractions.
Teeth grinding in sleep or awake is then further divided into primary and secondary bruxism. The primary kind happens without any prior medical condition, whilst the secondary type happens when another medical or psychiatric condition is current. Secondary bruxism, for example, may be associated with medications, recreational drugs and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Stress and anxiety are acknowledged to aggravate teeth grinding during sleep. The condition has additionally been associated with sleep disorders as it has a tendency to happen during periods of wakefulness.
The consequences of teeth grinding in sleep will vary individually for each person according to the severity of the problem. There are long and short-term effects including the following:
Short-term effects:
- earache
- headaches
- facial myalgia (aching jaw and facial muscles)
- sleep disturbances
- restriction of mouth opening
- inflamed/receding gums
- unwanted tooth mobility
Long-term effects:
- tooth wear and damage
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
What causes teeth grinding in sleep?
In some instances the cause of teeth grinding is unclear. To get to the real causes, it is useful to see your doctor to assess your symptoms and any factors which may be contributing. Take a look below for common causes:
Stress and anxiety
As mentioned before, many instances of teeth grinding in sleep are thought to be brought on by stress and/or anxiety. Many individuals say their grinding increases when they are stressed. This may be the body’s way of processing increased stress levels and tension. Reducing stress, encouraging relaxation and easing anxiety can all help you to stop teeth grinding.
Sleep apnoea
There is also a link between teeth grinding and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). This is a disorder which causes your breathing to be disrupted during sleep. The link between the two conditions isn’t fully understood. Teeth grinding often occurs during times of wakefulness, even so, so this might be the culprit.
Other sleep disorders such as insomnia can also be present alongside teeth grinding. Again, this might be because of a lack of deep sleep and increased periods of wakefulness.
Certain prescription drugs
Some drugs, including antipsychotic and antidepressant medications, are acknowledged to cause teeth grinding. If you are worried about any adverse reactions of the medication you’re taking, you are advised to speak to your GP.
Lifestyle factors
Certain lifestyle factors can also increase your risk of teeth grinding. Some examples are drinking alcohol excessively, using recreational drugs, consuming too much caffeine and cigarette smoking. Making changes in your lifestyle to enhance health can give your teeth grinding treatment the best likelihood for success.
Your treatment plan
If your dentist or doctor has diagnosed you with the condition, there are several strategies you can try in terms of treatment. These generally come under the following classifications:
Dental approaches
In order to protect your teeth from harm, your doctor may recommend dental treatments such as mouth guards or dental correction.
Splints and mouth guards are designed to keep your upper and lower jaw away from one another and prevent problems caused by grinding/clenching. In some cases, a dental problem is at fault. If this is applicable to you and your case is serious, your dentist may need to correct the problem with oral surgical treatment. If teeth grinding has impacted your teeth severely, you may need crowns fitted or reshaping treatments.
Lifestyle changes
Making certain you are living a healthy lifestyle can improve your bruxism treatment. Try to include relaxation into your everyday routine. Exercise is also a great way to reduce anxiety levels and promote relaxation.
Lower your intake of caffeine and sugar and try to avoid them in the evening. Stimulating substances like this can cause wakefulness when you sleep, which is associated with teeth grinding.
Create a sleeping routine and practise good sleep hygiene. This may include having treatment for any sleep disorders you experience. Ensure you see your dentist regularly to keep your teeth and jaw healthy. Dental examinations will reveal whether or not your teeth grinding is causing physical damage. Recognising any issues early will help you to prevent any significant correctional treatment.
Therapies
Arriving at the real causes of the condition may require a therapeutic strategy. If stress is causing your teeth grinding, relaxation therapies are suggested. Behavioural therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) work to change your habits.
Biofeedback is another form of therapy which you can use for teeth grinding. Using monitoring techniques, apps and products, this teaches you to control the muscle activity in your jaw.
I help people stop teeth grinding in sleep using hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy for bruxism assists to transform your thought patterns and therefore your habit. As hypnotherapy places you into a deeply relaxed state, it is also used to help lower stress and anxiety. For many, this helps minimise the cause of teeth grinding.
Stop teeth grinding in sleep using hypnotherapy
As part of your treatment plan, you may want to take a look at hypnosis for teeth griniding. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching take place unconsciously, regardless of whether you’re awake or asleep. As the action is governed by your unconscious. Hypnotherapy (a therapy that actually works with the unconscious mind) can use the power of suggestion to help transform thought patterns that lead to teeth grinding in sleep.
Hypnotherapy for teeth grinding puts you into a deeply relaxed state. While you are in this state, your unconscious is more ready to accept suggestion and re-patterning. Using hypnotherapy strategies, the thought patterns that lead to teeth grinding can be disrupted. Then, using suggestive language, hypnotherapy can promote brand new, more beneficial thought patterns.
Lots of positive reinforcement and the suggestion of deep and uninterrupted sleep will encourage you to experience less anxiety. As such you will be less likely to clench and unlikely to get to the grind stage.
According to The Bruxism Association, about 70% of teeth grinding in sleep instances are stress-related. When looking at stress, hypnotherapy may assist you to arrive at the root causes. In addition, it supports the development of more positive coping approaches, so that your mind responds more effectively in stressful situations. As teeth grinding can often be a response to stress and anxiety, employing hypnotherapy for stress may also cut down bruxism as a result.
Many teeth grinders come to anticipate the problem. This means they think about it or stress about it happening in advance. Through hypnotherapy, your mind can be programmed to anticipate a good night’s sleep with a calm jaw instead. This may seem simple, but such simple changes in thinking like this can lead to great outcomes.
To find out more about how my London sessions can give you the tools and knowhow to stop teeth grinding in sleep using hypnotherapy, get in touch today.