Take it from someone who’s been there… teeth grinding can be so frustrating! I started grinding my teeth around 2020 when stress was on the rise for just about everyone in the world.
I grind my teeth mostly at night which is called sleep bruxism. If you wake up with sore teeth and a tight jaw you may have the same issue.
Not only is teeth grinding annoying but it can also cause jaw pain, tooth damage, and tooth pain. That’s why it’s so important to find an effective way to deal with the symptoms of teeth grinding and try to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. This is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. All opinions are my own.
It may feel like nothing seems to help but over time I’ve learned the best ways and natural remedies to help relieve the symptoms of bruxism.
The first step is to figure out what is triggering your grinding and get rid of that!
It could be stress, a bad pillow, an abnormal bite, or many other issues. Once you figure that out you can pick a remedy that is best for you.
Of course, there are many ways to treat teeth grinding like seeing a chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, or getting botox injections but today I’m going to cover some easy natural options you can try at home.
Keep reading to find home remedies that will work best for you!
1) Tape Your Mouth Shut
Okay I know that sounds crazy but hear me out! This has been a game-changer for my grinding teeth!
All you have to do is take a piece of regular medical tape or special mouth tape and tape your mouth shut before you go to sleep. The idea is that it will limit the range of motion in your jaw at night.
You won’t be able to move your jaw as much and therefore you won’t grind your teeth as much. Mouth taping is also great for your overall health because it makes you breathe through your nose which boosts your immune system and reduces the risk of cavities.
A simple fix that is definitely worth trying!
2) Mouth Guard
Another common remedy used is a night guard. This provides a physical barrier between your top teeth and lower teeth so you can’t grind them together.
There are many great options online or you can see a dentist and get a mouth guard that is custom fit for your mouth. I used this brand for a long time and found that when I wore it my jaw pain was much less when I woke up in the morning!
3) Magnesium
I take magnesium every single night and it has been an addition to my life I will never go without it!
Magnesium is a super important mineral that many of us are lacking in our diet since our soils have become so depleted. It helps calm the body, helps with digestion, and also combats pain which makes it great for teeth grinding.
I take magnesium glycinate every night before bed and I also use a magnesium spray for aches and pains.
You can also use the spray as a deodorant!
4) Get the Right Pillow
If you suffer from teeth grinding due to TMJ or any other sleep-related issues like jaw clenching getting a better pillow is super important.
Switching to a pillow with an ergonomic design will help relieve your neck pain and stop your teeth from grinding. It can also help to relieve any pain in your jaw due to grinding at night.
5) Change Your Night Routine
Your night routine is one of the most important parts of your daily routine when you are dealing with symptoms of teeth grinding.
Although some people experience awake bruxism most of us deal with the grinding at night. Changing your night routine to add relaxing rituals can help calm the body.
This will allow for better sleep quality, therefore, reducing grinding. Try running a warm bath with a bath bomb and avoiding screen time an hour before bed.
6) Stress Reduction
Along with changing your night routine, you should also try to reduce your stress level throughout your day.
I am a working homeschool mom to 4 kids so I know firsthand it’s not a simple fix to just destress your life! However, making simple changes throughout your day such as taking up a stress-relieving hobby can really add up.
The more relaxed you are the less likely you will be to grind your teeth.
7) Natural Muscle Relaxants
You can also try using natural muscle relaxants such as herbal tea. Herbal tea is great for relaxing the body and the muscles in the jaw so that you don’t grind your teeth.
You can try herbal teas such as chamomile tea before you go to bed. It will help relax your muscles and give you better sleep and less grinding.
8) Essential Oils
Essential oils have long been used for their calming effects and to help with sleep. If you’re grinding your teeth at night you can apply diluted essential oils directly to your jaw or diffuse them in your bedroom at night using a DIY diffuser pad.
This will help to destress your body and eliminate grinding your teeth. Try the best essential oils for TMJ such as lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus to reduce your stress at night.
9) Warm Compress
You can use a heating pad or warm compress on your temporomandibular joint (also known as TMJ) and the rest of your jaw to encourage blood circulation to the area.
This can help decrease the feeling of a sore jaw that comes from teeth grinding.
10) Ice Pack
Putting an ice pack on your jaw muscles can give you immediate relief.
It also brings down the inflammation from when the jaw muscles have been working overtime from teeth grinding. Try implementing this anytime you feel swelling.
11) Splint Therapy
Splint therapy is similar to using a mouth guard. There are two types of splints.
The first kind is a stabilization splint that can be worn to prevent teeth from grinding and clenching. It covers the teeth and is typically worn at night like a night guard.
A repositioning splint would be designed to correct your bite and can be worn all day. This will help to stop you from grinding your teeth.
12) Jaw Exercises
Jaw exercises can help strengthen the muscles and loosen them at the same time. Tight jaw muscles or stressed-out jaw muscles can cause you to grind your teeth.
Try doing jaw exercises during the day to help stop your teeth from grinding at night. You can also massage your jaw when it is feeling tight from grinding.
13) Epsom Salts Bath
You can use Epsom salts to relieve pain by adding them to your bath or soaking your feet in water with Epsom salts. It helps with pain and teeth grinding because it has magnesium.
Magnesium helps to calm the body and soothe the muscles. This will help with your overall inflammation in your body and will help your jaw to stop clenching so that your teeth can stop grinding.
14) Eat Vitamin B-Rich Foods and Vitamin C
Taking vitamin C and eating vitamin B-rich foods are good for teeth grinding because they can help to reduce your stress and boost your nervous system.
Vitamin C can be depleted when you get stressed. Therefore if you take a vitamin C supplement, that should lower your stress and help with your teeth grinding. You can also eat foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus.
Vitamin B helps keep your nervous system healthy. A healthy nervous system will help regulate your mood and reduce your anxiety, which could be causing your teeth to grind. Try eating foods such as meat (especially liver), poultry, eggs, dairy (preferably raw), and seafood.
15) Avoid Sticky and Hard Foods
You should avoid sticky foods like peanut butter and hard foods if you experience teeth grinding because they are hard to chew.
If your jaw is under extra stress, trying to chew your food during the day, can make your jaw sore and lead to more teeth grinding.
Wrapping Up
As you can see there are many treatment options for teeth grinding many of them which you can try at home. However, it’s important to see a healthcare professional so they can treat any medical conditions or sleep disorders and find the underlying cause of your teeth grinding.
I hope you enjoyed learning about these methods and that they work for you! Which ones will you try?
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