I went to the dentist last week knowing that 1) I hadn’t been flossing well at all; and 2) I’ve been clenching and grinding my teeth all night. While 1) certainly made the cleaning part painful, 2) led to some more interesting developments. The dentist (a great guy, by the way) suggested that I get a soft splint – basically a piece of plastic molded to fit over my bottom teeth that I could wear at night and “during times of stress”. It’s supposed to prevent most of the clenching and grinding by keeping my jaw away from the angle where the muscles can exert the most force. He explained that a lot of people suffer from Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Disorders (TMJDs) and it’s often triggered by stress. He showed me how the clenching (which can exert SUPERHUMAN pressures on my teeth at night) is affect the bone structure in my mouth, and causing tension in muscles in my face/head/neck. I stuck my tongue out for him to look at and he pointed out that it was quivering (basically a muscle spasm) from the constant tension in my mouth. That kind of freaked me out.
More on TMJ disorders here
I’ve worn the splint for three or four nights now. I *think* it’s working. I’m sure time will help, too. I REALLY need to get out of grad school – I think that will hugely cut the stress levels in my life.
