I have been seeing more and more patients whom suffer from night time jaw clenching / teeth grinding (called Nocturnal Bruxism). They are usually unaware that they are grinding their teeth at night, and are surprised when their dental specialist makes them aware of the damage they are doing to the enamel of their teeth. While no one seems to know the exact cause of the problem or its increased prevalence, rising stress levels seem to be an obvious contributing factor.
Other than stress reduction, what can be done to treat / reduce the effects of clenching your teeth?
If you have a good extended health plan that will pay for it, by all means talk to your dentist about getting a custom formed 'night guard'. Prices vary, but they are expensive and I have a somewhat sour experience with one I paid $800 out of pocket for (my dental plan will pay to fix the damage of my grinding, but not for a device that will prevent the damage preemptively????). Within a year I had worn through parts of it and paid a dental lab more money to repair it. Contemplating whether or not to shell out for another one, I decided to try a very inexpensive alternative. It's called the 'Doctors Nightguard' and you can pick one up at any major pharmacy for around $30. You put it in boiling water and then bite into it to mold to your teeth in effect creating a 'semi custom' night guard for a fraction of the cost. I've been using mine for over 6 months now with absolutely no problems. Keep in mind it is a little more 'bulky' than a custom made night guard, but well worth trying before spending lots of money on something that is likely to break anyway.
Teeth Grinding is more of a common habit. We should never ignore this trait as it can be a symptom for something more serious.
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