The Association Between Stress And Teeth Grinding
We live in times where it’s very difficult for people to have a healthy outlet for their stress, so many people resort to grinding their teeth to cope. Many people aren’t even aware of the fact that they’re grinding their teeth when they are doing it. Most people do not understand why they are grinding their teeth and how stress may impact them.
Most scientists have found major associations between stress and teeth grinding or bruxism. In the blog below, we have mentioned all the ways you may be impacted by stress and what you can do about it.
Are Stress and Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) Related?
Teeth grinding has been a sign of stress for a long period. But for the most part, people weren’t drawing any major causality in the earlier times. However, the more we progress into modern-day research, the more it becomes clear that stress and Teeth Grinding are closely related.
If you’re someone who has started to become aware of the fact that you’re grinding your teeth or you’re growing to be more worried about the fact that sleep is affecting your life as a whole, then you should know how stress may be a potent factor in amplifying the bruxism all around you.
Stress can also lead to sleep bruxism or bruxism during the night, which means that if you’re not careful, you will have to deal with a breakdown of your teeth and bruxism that is exceptionally overwhelming.
How are Stress and Teeth Grinding Related?
Bruxism can have many different causes, but as people grow more aware, they are now more cases of self-reporting than ever before. Many studies show an actual relationship between stress and bruxism. However, many remain unsure about if stress can cause bruxism. But it’s well-known that stress will exacerbate the teeth grinding response in humans.
People don’t know why this is, but we can break it down into two major explanations:
1. Their Fight Flight Response is Activated
In modern-day slang, it could also mean that the person is triggered or massively aware of their surroundings and all that is happening around them. When people are sufficiently stressed, they will undergo physical changes. It may happen so that their pupils will become much more dilated, and they will start breathing even more heavily. The other thing that is much more likely is that their muscles will become tense, and they will start looking for other means to return to a regulated state.
When the fight or flight response is agitated, then one of the major things that most people experience is an increase in energy and hypervigilance. Many people will resort to biting down on their gums and grinding their teeth to alleviate the stress.
Stress is everywhere now, and humans also feel different than their ancestors. Increasing hormones like cortisol, stress, and teeth grinding are at the forefront of major dysregulations you may feel.
As the tension and stress in your jaw increase, you are much more likely to bite down on the enamel in your teeth, and the chow down can worsen your situation.
2. Worse Quality of Sleep
Stress can make it much more difficult for you to get sleep. People must get better sleep so that they are much more regulated. If you don’t have the best sleep, you won’t have the presence of mind to remain regulated, and it can increase your stress proportionately.
Getting worse sleep quality can also impact the frequency of your nighttime bruxism, which is why people come out with such bad-shaped teeth much later in life. REM is also an incredibly important aspect of your sleep cycle, and it helps in memory consolidation and emotional processing. This means that it’s incredibly important for you to have the proper amount of REM sleep.
It is the final stage of sleep, so achieving it can reduce several stress levels. Poor-quality sleep, on the other hand, can lead to more pronounced issues of nighttime teeth grinding.
How Can You Manage Stress and Teeth Grinding?
Now that we know that stress is a major proponent of teeth grinding or bruxism, we can find ways to manage our symptoms through bruxism by managing our symptoms of stress. Here are some things you can do to manage your stress better that may be healthier than other coping mechanisms you may be employing.
1. Invest in an Exercise Schedule
You may not always have the best idea about releasing the tension in your brain or body. But it’s important to know some activities that help in all cases. Exercise is one of the simplest ways that you can release tension from yourself. You don’t have to worry about overdoing it or underdoing it when you can just find something and allow it to work for you.
Many studies inform you of the benefits of exercise, but it’s necessary to look into it in all possible ways. Much evidence suggests that investing in exercise will help you sink into your body and make you much more resilient.
2. Opt for Breathing Exercises
Another way you can regulate yourself and get better at breathing is through breathing exercises. Much of our compound stress may be because we constantly rush and forget to catch our breath and be in the moment. Shallow breaths throughout the day may keep you alive but may not be what your body needs holistically. It may be better for you to take deeper breaths instead, and it can help regulate your nervous system so that you can feel much more comfortable and confident in your body.
3. Play Soothing Music or Ambient Sounds
If you want to find a way to ground yourself now, then it would be better for you to play some soothing music or ambient sounds in the background. Much noise in our daily lives makes us feel completely stressed even if we don’t notice it. Taking time out from all the chaos and playing soothing ambient songs for yourself can make you feel much better. It will limit your stress and teeth grinding. You also won’t have to invest in night teeth guards, significantly lowering your resting level.
4. Opt For Less Screen Time
No one wants to hear it, but we’re so stressed about everything because we are locked into this collective world through the internet. The trauma and triumph of social media are ever present and can thoroughly alter how we look at the world and experience our realities. The constant information bombarding makes you much more likely to be stressed. Opting for less screen time is one of the best things you can do for your mental health and stress levels.
5. Journalling
If something is occupying your mind, journalling your thoughts, feelings, and emotions are one of the best things you can do. You won’t have to worry so much and can find relief in journalling your thoughts and emotions on paper. Many people also list the feelings in their bodies, and that information is a healthy way to deal with their stresses for many.
Thus, here are some ways to protect your mental health and regulate stress and teeth grinding all in one go.
Manage Your Stress and Teeth Grinding Better Using Clear Comfort Night Guards
Stress and teeth grinding can be annoying, so people order teeth grinding guard online to protect themselves against daytime and sleep bruxism. These teeth-grinding mouthguards are for sale at Clear Comfort Night Guards so that you can remain stress-free. Gain the benefits of Clear Comfort night guard for TMJ pain.
Our product range includes mouthguards for an activity like sports. They also come in ultra-hard versions and super thin night teeth guards. For more information, check out our reviews or contact us today to learn more!
