Have any suggestions on killing my bad habit?

Have you spoken to a doctor about maybe getting some kind of muscle relaxant that will keep you from clenching your jaws?

Eventually you will have to have all your teeth removed due to the stress of clenching and grinding them and then you will have to wear dentures. You can always take dentures out.

Yes, there is a new dental procedure that can cure it completely. Describe the issue to your dentist and ask for it. It’s a type of invisible teeth covering.

@YARNLADY I wear a nightguard (a plastic cushion) that I place over my teeth at night. This has helped quite a bit with the sensitivity, but it has not changed the fact that I still clench all through the night and day. The nightguard simply prevents wearing the tops of my teeth away by grinding.

@evelyns_pet_zebra I have not asked for any muscle relaxant (I actually hadn’t thought of that). Would this really cure the habit or will it just prevent me from doing it while under the influence? I’d like there to be some way to condition myself not to do it at all.

Believe me I know all about the dangers involved in this activity, my mom also does this (although I think she clenches less) and she has quite a few exposed roots and cracked teeth (she requires Novocaine even for regular dentist cleanings).

Have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy? I know it seems silly to go to a therapist for a physical problem, but this particular type of therapy can work wonders for that kind of thing.

I used to grind my teeth growing up and I do know how painful the condition is. I was a shy not-very confident teenager/young adult. As I grew up, I became more confident with myself and don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. And now I don’t grind or clench my teeth that much if at all any more.

Took yoga to relax. It helped.

I wonder if constantly sticking your tongue between your teeth would help. At the moment you feel pain, you’ll know you’re biting down too hard again.

Instead of trying to be aware of it, set a small alarm (like a watch?) to go off every 5 minutes. Whenever it goes off, do 30 seconds of jaw exercises – open wide, stretch side to side slowly, forward and back. Do each slow then fast then slow and finish with a couple of alternating smiles and puckers.

It may sound silly, and maybe it is, but I think it will force you to really become aware or start doing jaw-relaxing movement without forcing yourself to concentrate on it.

I have this same problem, hahah but only the grinding of my teeth. I do tend to clench my teeth also. I’m not sure how to care for it either :[ I had a custom nightguard but it was ruined recently. I hope you find something to help :] haha and make me aware too!

@augustlan I have not tried any professional therapy and hadn’t really considered it either. It’s entirely possible that the physical problem has a mental cause….or at least a mental solution. Thanks for the advice, I’ll definitely consider it (though for now I’m at college so it might not be immediately attainable).

@drdoombot Haha. I actually considered this too! The problem is that if I have the awareness to stick my tongue between my teeth I should have the awareness to prevent myself from clenching as well.

@Supacase I really like this idea. I hadn’t considered an alarm or a schedule. This would be a very good way of being aware of it without easily falling back into habit. Simply trying to be aware of it on my own results in hours of habit interspersed with sudden realizations.

There should be some way to be aware of it externally and a scheduled check is probably the closest I’ll get.

Thanks guys!

I’d like to know if you find anything to help you out with this that works. This is a problem I have too.

Hypnosis, perhaps?

@Shuttle128 I’m not talking about the night guard. I’m talking about an invisible shield that is worn during the day.

Generally I think if you replace a habit with another habit it is easier to give up. Seems it would be difficult to control what you do at night, but as you said you have a guard for when you sleep. During the day can you chew gum every so often, assuming you don’t have a job that you are in front of people all of the time. @Supacase idea was interesting too, so you are more aware of what you are doing.

I would like to add that one of my gfs also has this condition. She worries about almost everything and still has the condition. She is married and has three children. I’m not trying to insinuate that you are a worry wort but perhaps something is bothering you that affects you in this way.

What about biofeedback therapy?

I don’t know if it would help for this specific problem. It’s generally used to control functions of the body not typically able to be controlled just by will power.

I know it has been helpful for something like migraines with controlling blood flow.

Since your problem’s roots are on a subconscious level it may be useful in controlling involuntary muscle responses
to tension.

@YARNLADY So basically a nightguard worn throughout the day, or is it a different kind of apparatus? I haven’t heard of this before. I’m not sure that this (assuming my understanding of it) would change my habits.

@JLeslie I had considered gum chewing specifically, however when I looked up some of the causes of TMJ problems chewing gum was right there with clenching and grinding.

@Buttonstc Wow! Biofeedback! That’s great, exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for! If I become physically aware of exactly when I perform a suboncious action I could condition myself to subconsciously stop. Very cool.

@MontyZuma Hypnosis would be a way of directly altering the unconscious action correct? This may be even more straightforward than biofeedback, but I’ve always been wary of the claims of hypnosis. I would guess that it wouldn’t hurt to try, and since it’s more direct than biofeedback it would be a great shortcut.

@Shuttle128 I wondered how chewing gum might affect your jaw? Interesting,

I have the same problem. I’ve been told by me Dentist that I have to make changes or risk losing my teeth. I use the nightguard, but not regularly enough. Sometimes, I’ll wear it when I drive, or just spend time alone. Truth us, it should be in a lot, if not all the time. Obviously, that’s impractical. But you could try wearing it durong the day when driving, or not with company.

Also, get therapy. Any kind that will help you approach the problem, not just the symptom. Something is stressing you out – find out what it is, talk about it, fix it.

Bon chance.

I agree with @MontyZuma
going to an experienced hypnotherapist should solve this issue within a few sessions

Daily mindfulness meditation and exploration of anger may also help. Some psychotherapists believe that grinding your teeth at night is related to anger.