If you suspect that you may be suffering from Bruxism you should consult your dentist. The dentist would most likely recommend a mouth guard to prevent the grinding of teeth.
There are a number of ways to treat Bruxism. The treatment is targeted at pain relief, prevention of permanent damage to teeth and changing the habit of teeth clenching as much as possible. Some of the natural forms of treatment of bruxism are as follows:
Chewing Fruits and Vegetables
Before going to bed at night, you can try chewing on fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots or broccoli. Chewing provides an exercise to the jaws, gums and the facial muscles. And it would have a calming effect on your oral muscles before you sleep. A calm mouth means reduced instances of teeth grinding throughout the night.
Use a warm washcloth
Another way of relaxing the oral muscles and the jaw is to put a washcloth dipped in lukewarm water around your face. Make sure that the washcloth runs from one side of your face to the other. Doing this on a daily basis before going to bed would prevent your jaws from clenching and reduce the instances of teeth grinding.
Relax before going to bed
Teeth grinding is usually triggered by stress. Indulge in activities that relax you before going to bed. You can start by reading a book or even watching television or having a hot shower if it has a relaxing effect on you. Simple things like a warm massage can have calming effects on you that may in turn reduce the episodes of teeth grinding in sleep.
Replace Caffeine and Alcohol with Herbal Teas
Drinking coffee before going to bed or alcohol consumption increases the instances of sleep arousal and sleep disturbances. You may experience difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, thereby aggravating teeth grinding during sleep. If you really want to have a drink before going to bed then you can replace tea and coffee with herbal teas or even warm milk as they are free of caffeine and have a sedative and calming effect. Alcohol consumption, smoking and caffeine intake must be avoided before going to bed as it will only worsen the symptoms of bruxism.
Practice Meditation and Deep Breathing Exercises
Research has indicated that practicing meditation and deep breathing exercises have extremely beneficial effects in relieving stress. But this has to be done on a regular basis and especially at night before falling asleep. These techniques are known to be of a great help in reducing the instances and severity of sleeping disorders which are one of the major trigger factors for teeth grinding. A deep and refreshing sleep goes a long way in overcoming the habit of teeth grinding.
Herbal Remedies
Some herbal Remedies are also helpful in treating the symptoms of bruxism since they can relieve tension and help to soothe the psychological stress which in turn leads to gnashing of teeth and clenching of jaws in sleep. These include Hypericum perforatum, Passiflora incarnata, Melissa officinalis and Lavender.