I'm putting this here because I believe it's linked to anxiety which I have HUGE problems with. I hadn't been to the dentist in years and finally went last year. First dentist didn't mention anything but then I switched (personality conflict) and the new dentist noticed I have abnormal wear on one side and asked if I grind my teeth. Not something I was aware of - my jaw clicks but my sister says it's been doing that since I was little. ANyway - Monday I started having really bad pain on one side in the back (the side with the wear) and had to go in Wednesday. I assumed it was a filling that had come out but he xrayed and said there is no sign of decay or abcess. He thinks its from grinding my teeth and applied a desensitizer and said if it isn't better to call back - which I am doing today. I'm getting really freaked out (anxiety is a beautiful thing) and am scared to death. Anyone have experience with this ? It hurts so bad !!!!

I don't have a problem with grinding but I do clench my teeth at night. I bite down VERY hard all night long and wake up with aching jaws and very sensitive teeth. I use to bite down on my tongue at night to ease the pain. I did this for a pretty long time until I noticed that my tongue started getting teeth imprints that wern't going away, as if my tongue was forming to the shape of my teeth.

Anyways... I got a mouth guard. I'm surprised your dentist didn't give you one or at least talk to you about getting one. They are about $20 at wal-mart. It took me a few days to get use to it. It made me drool and was hard to fall asleep. But now I hardly notice it and I'm so glad I got one because I can see the wear on the guard and I'm so glad that it's my teeth I'm messing up.
I would try a mouthguard, It might help.
Talk to your dentist about a guard when you call him.

Shock Doctor mouth guards are good to use (any sports store carries them, I think walmart too). If they are to big for your mouth you can always cut the tips.

Leenie

I do this. A LOT. The dentist wants to fit me for a gaurd, but I don't have an extra 2 grand laying around. I try real hard during the day to not to do bc I can control that, but still catch myself and it causes some nasty headaches, I think more during stressful times.....but at night is where the real damange of my teeth grinding happens.

I grind my teeth VERY badly at night (my fiance can attest to this - he yells at me every night to stop grinding my teeth.) I didn't know I was grinding my teeth at night because I didn't have any pain in my jaw, but when I was in college and had to room with a girl she told me I was grinding my teeth. So, I asked my dentist about it and I got fitted for an (expensive) mouth guard. I wore it for awhile, but I found that I was taking it out in my sleep and either putting it on my bedstand or flinging it across the room - all while asleep and not remembering this in the morning. So I didn't wear it very often, and now my teeth have shifted a bit (who actually wears their retainer for the rest of their life after having braces in middle school? Not me! so my teeth have shifted) and I can't wear my expensive night guard because it hurts too much. I went and bought the 20 dollar mouth guard from the store at the request of my fiancee who can't stand to listen to me grinding my teeth. I wear it sometimes, but I still take it out in my sleep, so I don't wear it very often. My dentist wants me to get another professional guard but I'm not shelling out $500 for it.

Maybe I'll just be toothless eventually.

I would try the 20 dollar mouth guard from the store. It might just do the trick for you.

I grind and clench my teeth as well. I started doing it about 8 years ago, after my Mom passed. It's definitely worse when I'm under stress.

When I was being treated for depression after my Mom died, I noticed that I was grinding my teeth and asked the doctor about it. Apparently, I was already on the same medication they prescribe for it. Well, it didn't work for me.

I can't use a mouth guard myself, since I have sinus issues and breath through my mouth when I sleep. I feel like I'm choking if I use one. I have not had any pain yet though, so I can't help you with that.

Good luck!

I noticed that after I was put on a pain medicine called "Ultram ER" I have clenched my teeth so tightly at night that I wake up with headaches and the sorest jaw ever!! I talked to my doctor and was basically told to deal with it or get a mouth guard from walmart... yeah I wasn't happy! So we decided that we would stop it for a few days to see if it fixed the problem which it did but then I got withdrawl headaches from a non-addictive/non-narcotic medicine... go figure... so since I have to use the medicine for severe chronic back pain I got use to it... havent used a mouth guard b/c I drool like a st. bernard! I also grind my teeth at night on top of it all.

I was grinding my teeth and having severe headaches as well as jaw pain. My teeth did not fit together correctly! Some was the result of fillings that stuck up too high and some was the teeth themselves.

Over a period of weeks/months, the dentist "adjusted my bite". This meant he ground off small areas of fillings and teeth until my jaw could align properly. Then he made a mouth guard that I started out wearing 24x7 only taking it out to eat, clean the guard and brush my teeth. I had to learn to talk with it in and definitely got used to wearing it. Now I wear it at night only. I've been wearing it for 21 years. It makes a significant difference. And when I do still grind my teeth or clench my jaw, it's into the softer material of the guard instead of my teeth. Note the guard is softer than my teeth but it is hard, unlike the sports guards. If I skip wearing it for a single night, I feel the difference!

I'd recommend trying the soft guard. If it doesn't work, see what your medical (not dental) insurance will pay for a visit to a dentist specializing in TMJ (Tempuromandibular Joint disorder). Mine wouldn't pay for the guard itself, but it did cover the appointments.

get this treated... asap...

I'm almost 30, have "grinded" my teeth my entire life from severe anxiety...

my teeth are entirely worn down, and have CRACKED through and through... so much pain now, but am afraid to go to dentist... plus, no dental insurance and no cash...

if you are in a position to treat it with mouth guards, get them...

Thanks ladies. I bought a mouth guard at CVS for $ 30. and have been sleeping with it every night. The pain is gone in the tooth although it still "feels funny". I will continue to use this as the TMJ is NOT covered under my insurance.

Funny, I was just at my dentist last week complaining of all my upper teeth being sore. One even feels loose. He looked at everything, and except for one tooth he wants to crown he couldn't find anything wrong. I don't grind, but I do clench, in the day and night. He wouldn't have known that unless I mentioned it might be a little problem.

Well, it seems if I think its a little problem it is probably worse than I know. He took an impression of the lower jaw for a night guard and with my dental insurance it came to about $300.

Since I nervously bite my cheeks, I am hoping the guard will brake that habit too.

Yeah, I have a stressful (to me) job, but in the daytime I clench when driving. Welcome to south Florida.

Hi!

Just saw this post and wanted to reply, although it's pretty late.

I have never had a problem grinding my teeth until more recently (about 6 months ago).

I too suffer from depression & anxiety (although anxiety isn't severe) but I attribute the teeth grinding to the anti-depressants I'm on which are Wellbutrin & Lexapro.

My dentist brought the teeth grinding to my attention & I got fitted for a nightguard for $300 (NOT covered by insurance)!

The only bad part about the nightguard is that now I'm drooling in my sleep (GROSS) - something I've never done before.

I have suffered with TMJ/Teeth Grinding since I was 15 years old (probably before that but the doctors didn't realize it till then).

I have been through every type of mouth gaurd ever made and have not come up with anything that worked until I found this:

www(dot)nti-tss(dot)com

The mouth guard is the only one that has ever worked. I stopped using ones that encompassed the whole teeth area because being a bruxi I would clamp down harder, thus leading to massive headaches.

The concept behind the NTI guard is it fits in the front of the teeth (usually only covering about 2 to 3 teeth max) and prevents the teeth from touching. It also gives mobility for the jaw to find a natural connection.

Think of a par of scissors. What is the best part to cut anything with them?

If you said the cross section closes to the grip than you are correct. The weakest and most ineffient is the front of the scissors because there is little presser.

Now the same holds true with your teeth. The backs of the jaws are EXTREMELY powerful. But the front teeth, not as much. The jaw does not hold as much sway. So you are clenching, yet not as powerfully.

I have used this item for near 18 months. My headaches, teeth sensitivity, cracks and over all discomfort has dropped dramatically. My (new dentist) recommended this to me. I'll never go back to anything else.

I hope this help.

(And no I'm not a sponsor for them LOL)

Really?? I'm on Wellbutrin. Is that a known side effect? I don't want to give it up, it has been working so well for me.