I have been clenching my teeth in my sleep. This has meant I often wake with headaches and a jaw so tight that I must open and close it to release the muscles of my neck and face.
One of my teeth has died. This is because I grind my teeth, and a chunk of a molar broke off a few months ago.
It is a stress-related thing. Stress has killed one of my lovely teeth.
Oh, Mell, this is bloody awful - your poor tooth! TMJ problems can be awful. I was referred to the dental hospital with the same problem about ten years ago, I had just moved house and the physical stress was causing much teeth grinding, I woke up one day feeling like I'd been punched in the face. The dental hospital gave me a splint, but I accidentally melted it by pouring boiling water over it. Then I had sessions with a TENS machine to try and relax the jaw muscles. I still grind away, but it's not so bad these days. Hope you get relief x
ReplyDeleteIt's very odd, NMJ. No wonder I don't sleep well! I caught myself last night, jaws locked together, tried to loosen them and ended up with my tongue placed twixt teeth (didn't bite or anything but highly dodgy). Sorry to hear you have had similar problems (the melting of the mouth splint made me smile though...). Last week, before I went to work, I had to do a load of exercises to get my mouth to move – my head felt 'fixed'. The worst bit about my tooth (the dead one) is that it *gulp* has to come out!! Arggh... x
ReplyDeleteOuch! That sounds really painful. There was a time when I used to grind and grit my teeth at night, a gum/tooth guard was made for me to prevent me from doing exactly what you've done.
ReplyDeleteErm, hope you don't um, bite yourself when the tooth finds it's way er, out!
;-)
Too bad... You know hearing to the softest music at the lowest volume before goin to sleep help reduce stress..dont take so much of stress mell..
ReplyDeletehave a nice day :)
preetha
Sorry about your tooth.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed in the past month I've been grinding my teeth during waking hours and giving myself a sore jaw. This is also from stress.
I hope you feel better.
Thanks so much, Absolute Vanilla, Preetha and Strugglingwriter. And sorry for taking so long to reply. Life has sped up a ridiculous rate.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting a mouth guard made and am trying to consciously relax my mouth more. It sounds a bit strange, I know, but sometimes my jaw is as tight as a fist.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been suffering from the same thing, Absolute Vanilla and Strugglingwriter. Stress is such a cruel thing. Ironically – or helpfully – I have been writing about stress a fair bit for work and have inadvertently stumbled on ways to help with relaxation, which seem to involve breathing well.
I hope you are all well and I wish you peaceful, happy weekends...
Kindest thoughts
MD