Storytime,  TDM

[Guest Post] Bruxism: My Battle

May 18, 2022 /

I’ve talked about my bruxism and the solutions I’m testing on Instagram. I promised you a full article on the topic, but the more I dig, the more I find thatthere’s no such thing as THE article on bruxism, because it simply doesn’t exist.

The books on the subject are incomplete. There are many solutions, but none of them seem to address this issue sustainably.

Because no one has really found its root cause. If we can’t figure out why we grind our teeth, it’ll be much harder to find a solution, right?

This article is my first attempt to list all the methods I’ve tried.

Note: I’m not sharing the contact details of every therapist I’ve consulted for various reasons (they’ve stopped practicing, availability, inconsistent results, vibes…), so don’t ask me for details if they’re not listed—there’s a reason for it. I don’t have to justify to anyone why I’m not sharing this or that contact.
I’m not a health professional, so I don’t want this article to be a list of recommendations but rather a sharing of my experiences. Work Comments are thus disabled. I don’t want NO testimonials, NO private messages PLEASE.
Honestly, listening to others’ hardships affects me, and for my own balance, I need to stay in a joyful environment to minimize my bruxism.
Thanks for understanding.

How do you know if you have bruxism?

I found out I had bruxism during a team-building trip. My colleague, who I shared a room with, told me about a weird noise I made while sleeping. So I saw a dentist who confirmed I had bruxism. I’m convinced my bruxism started with a crown that was too thick, fitted in 2013. Then it got worse and became a habit. Now, after having my crown redone several times and being sure of the proper bite and ideal crown thickness, my brain has integrated a “bruxism program” and it’s become super hard to shake it off.

In December 2021, it got worse. Since my night guard was broken, I had to sleep without it and not only did I grind my teeth even harder, but it also prevented me from sleeping well. I woke up super tired every day, I was slow at everything, and I had headaches upon waking. I was almost depressed actually. That’s when I told myself I absolutely had to find other methods because I refuse to be dependent on a night guard.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list to know if you have bruxism:

  1. Ask your dentist. Through an X-ray or just by looking at your teeth, they can see areas where the enamel is worn down
  2. You have marks inside your mouth (two lines) on your cheeks, as if you’re biting your cheeks
  3. In the morning, touch the muscles just below your ears; if it hurts, you might be grinding

According to Dr. Hartmann, author of the book Back Pain, Fatigue, Migraine… If You Grind Your Teeth! by Dr. Hartmann (Amazon link), bruxism can be the source of many more serious pains. Having these unexplained pains can be a sign of bruxism. The book also lists signs for self-diagnosis.

Where does bruxism come from?

  • Stress
  • Whiplash
  • A malocclusion or a poorly made crown
  • Sleep apnea
  • Posture (the head compensates for poor body posture)
  • Tongue misalignment
  • etc.

There are many causes. Unfortunately, no one really takes an interest in it, or has the multi-disciplinary skills and knowledge to make a real diagnosis.

I read a few poorly written books that basically explain that bruxism is good for us, that it’s our way of releasing stress. To prove this weird point, they stress out a mouse, and when they give it a stick to chew on, its stress decreases… hahaha giving a rodent something to gnaw on reduces stress. Genius!

So in my opinion, since we don’t know exactly why we grind our teeth, the solution is to test absolutely all the solutions. Then, you’ll know which one works best for you.

Here are the professionals I consulted for my bruxism

Dentist

Naturally, they’re the ones who can professionally and correctly confirm your bruxism. I saw several dentists, and each one had their favorite mouthguard.

The first one suggested a guard covering all the bottom teeth, with two visible metal balls that sit between two teeth. I really liked this guard, until years later I realized those two metal balls had carved a hole in my healthy teeth. Good thing that guard broke on its own, otherwise I could have completely ruined the root of a healthy tooth.

The second suggested a guard covering all the bottom teeth, extremely thin, but one I destroy every 6 months.

The third suggested a guard covering all the bottom teeth, very thick; I struggled to adapt to it, couldn’t even close my mouth properly when sleeping with it. I destroyed it after a year.

Let me quickly digress on guards covering all the bottom teeth. The upper molars touch the guard that touches the lower molars. So when you grind, you destroy the guard and not your molars. However, the upper incisors, due to their shape, need to be able to cover the guard (so you can close your mouth). Over time, I found my incisors were being pushed forward more and more. Not enough to cause a malocclusion, but I always found it bothersome.

The fourth one, my Turkish dentist (more info), suggested a guard covering all the top teeth. She’s the one who really opened my eyes to the dangers of bruxism. She took the time to show me the damage on my molars and really listened to me. In her opinion, having a lower guard is harmful for the tongue because the tongue is curious and will go touch the guard. Proper tongue positioning is important in fighting bruxism, so she claims an upper guard is more suitable. She wears one herself and is super happy with it. It’s a guard I can now tolerate (after three adjustment sessions at the dentist) but don’t really like.

The fifth was made by a malocclusion specialist (he’s retired) for the lower jaw, not too thin but not too thick either. This guard cost me 500€, with 120€ reimbursed by social security.

In any case, all dentists agree that my bruxism comes from stress.

I kept saying it was probably due to a crown that was too thick, but they all looked at me either dubiously or helplessly. Because now my crown is the ideal thickness, it’s well adjusted, but the bruxism hasn’t gone away.

My take on mouthguards: whatever your guard, as my dentist told me, it’s only a crutch. The more you depend on the crutch, the more it worsens the condition. The body needs to grind, and when the guard prevents it from grinding properly, you grind even harder. With the guard, at least the teeth are protected. So when you see a dentist, whose job is to take care of teeth, clearly they can’t offer anything more. But it doesn’t solve the main problem at all: teeth grinding.

Hypnosis

I turned to hypnosis very quickly, because it’s an excellent way to reprogram harmful habits for our body.

The “bruxism” program is part of the subconscious. I therefore went to see a hypnotherapist both before and after getting my new crown. The hypnosis sessions revealed psychological wounds related to the accident that caused my broken tooth (and therefore my crown). I talked about it here. The effects lasted a good month, and then I started grinding my teeth again. And I told myself it wasn’t fully working.

Recently (2022), I resumed hypnosis sessions, and after talking with two hypnotherapists, I understood something:

  • the body can learn new habits, but it needs time
  • when it’s learning not to grind, it needs time to integrate this new well-being as a “normal state”
  • whenever you have a relapse, especially during stressful periods, it’s perfectly normal to have another session

Once I understood that two sessions weren’t going to fix my 10-year problem, I stopped all facial treatments and massages. I took my entire “cosmetics” and “beautiful skin” budget and switched it to bruxism. So I now have a fairly high budget for as many hypnosis sessions as I want.

  • In early 2022, I started with 1 session per week for 4 weeks
  • Then I did preventive sessions every 2 weeks, then every 3 weeks, then monthly
  • Whenever there’s a change (for example, when I move to a new country, I have a session before and after arriving)
  • Whenever I feel stressed and have trouble sleeping, I treat myself to another session

I have two hypnotherapists, and they work in complementary ways.

  • My first hypnotherapist, based in Paris, whom I saw in person, is perfect for “giving orders”. For example, she’ll say something like “your tongue will place itself harmoniously, in the right spot in your mouth”, and I’ve noticed that on the following nights, my tongue does indeed try to place itself correctly.
  • My second hypnotherapist, Karine, based in Montreal (and now in Martinique) (website), with whom I do sessions remotely, (I’ve met her in person in Montreal) is more into visualization, finding well-being, getting back to the roots, self-exploration and exploring the subconscious. The practical side is less present (because I haven’t asked for it), but I feel like we dig deeper, and it does me a lot of good. I have a session with her at least once a month, and more if I’m more stressed than usual.

Exercises

Since the hypnosis session where I was told to place my tongue correctly, I’ve seen a real before/after, so I do exercises from the book Back Pain, Fatigue, Migraine… If You Grind Your Teeth! by Dr. Hartmann (Amazon link) several times a day, and I make an effort to place my tongue correctly (on the palate just behind the incisors, in the middle, where there’s a sort of little bump). The effects aren’t immediate, but at least it eases my conscience because I tell myself I’m actively participating in my healing.

Hartmann Method

I’ll let you:

Morphée Box

According to the Hartmann method, before going to bed, you need to think of something positive. I’m incapable of doing that on my own, so I bought the Morphée Box (Amazon link) which is a form of sophrology (20-minute session before sleep). Among the 200 texts, there’s one I really like because it says to “relax the jaw”, which I listen to before sleeping. I love it, and it helps me sleep better. The device can have technical issues, but unfortunately it’s the only small-sized option I’ve found (I’m a nomad and can’t travel with a huge device).

You can learn more about the Morphée Box here, I wrote a long article

Physiotherapy

I went to see someone to try to understand the origin of my bruxism. This person has a super original method, which simply involves asking the body questions. The body will know how to answer us.

To prove her point, she gives me two hidden objects. When I hold object A in my hand, she presses on my other hand and suddenly my hand is weaker and cannot resist that force. When I hold object B in my hand, I am able to resist the pressure. Then she revealed the nature of the objects: object A is an organic apple and object B is a chocolate bar. When I am in contact with something that is good for me, my body automatically becomes stronger.

That’s why I don’t even want your feedback, testimonials, or questions – because I don’t want negative things in my life. After this experience, I tell myself that I must be surrounded only by positive things.

The person then asked my body a question and my body told her (through yes and no, actually) that the bruxism was linked to transgenerational issues (the previous generations who had to “grit their teeth”), and past lives. We worked on my energy, she sang, played the drum, and made the Tibetan singing bowl ring. The emotions that surfaced were as intense as psychotherapy; I felt unwell for several days and remembered childhood wounds that I thought had already healed during my sessions with a sophrologist 10 years ago. Anyway, it wasn’t easy.

After 3 sessions, I remember waking up one day completely without pain; it was the first time in a long time that I didn’t grind my teeth at all.

Mattress & Pillows

You should know that at that time, I was housesitting for my sister and sleeping alone in a big bed with two cats. So the result wasn’t solely due to the physiotherapy. Having so much space for myself made me realize that:

  • when I slept with JB in a small bed, I had no room for myself and my whole being shrank
  • I was terrified of falling out of bed => this issue was resolved in one session with my second hypnotherapist, Karine. We worked on it for an hour. It revealed a minor issue likely related to a past life or something like that.
  • I might not have had the right mattress or pillow (since I sleep in Airbnbs all year, it’s hard to choose what I like)

So it took me a long time to find and buy an ergonomic memory foam pillow. To make it more pleasant, I even bought a nice thick silk cover, so it feels good on my skin and hair. Having a nice texture will keep me loyal to that pillow, otherwise I might end up using the blanket or my arm as a pillow 😀 Since using this pillow, the pain has decreased significantly, especially in my neck.

Healer

So my mother knows a healer in Vietnam. During a visit, we talked for hours, she didn’t even touch me, and when I got home, I discovered that my pain was gone. But unfortunately, it came back a few days later. I haven’t had the chance to go back to see her since.

Botox

A friend got botox injections in her muscles (both sides of her jaw). Without anesthesia – because the dentist apparently couldn’t numb beyond the mouth. She was in pain even though she has a high pain tolerance. Then she had a square jaw for 2 weeks. Afterwards, she did see a reduction in bruxism, but it needs to be repeated every 3 months, so she quickly gave up because it’s not a lasting solution, plus it’s costly (250€) and not covered by health insurance.

Massage

As for me, I went to see a Vietnamese masseuse specializing in Chinese meridian points, and she gave me a thorough massage from my jaw to my shoulders. She explains that muscles pull on each other. Just one tense muscle is enough for the rest to be tense too. So to reduce bruxism, you have to relax the whole network. Then, like an osteopath, she took my head in her hands and cracked my neck on both the left and right sides. It’s something my osteos have done multiple times because, according to them, my bruxism was putting my bones in a bad position. They had to crack it every time.

I saw my masseuse only three times in 3 weeks, with a 1.5-hour massage each time, followed by 30 minutes in the sauna to fully relax. Even my face became symmetrical again after 2 months.

Then I saw other masseuses in Vietnam and briefed them thoroughly on the bruxism. They specialize in the female body, so each time it was a huge relief; I felt like I was floating on a cloud. Anyway, with these massages, my mouth no longer makes that little weird noise when I chew or yawn 😀 However, it’s a bit of a budget and you need to go regularly. Thanks to the massage, the pain on both sides of my jaw has greatly subsided.

Osteopath

It’s very rare for osteopaths to put their hands inside patients’ mouths for bruxism, but unfortunately, it’s the only way to relieve the pain. The muscles involved in bruxism are only accessible when you put a little finger in your mouth and press on the muscles in question. It hurts a lot, it’s not pleasant at all, but the pain fades very quickly. I recommend getting a demo with an osteo, then you’ll know where those muscles are and can do it yourself at home.

My osteopaths think bruxism has clearly impacted my lower jaw, pushing it backward. That’s why the exercises Dr. Hartmann recommends in his book are so important. Misaligned jaws pull on the facial muscles, which pull on other muscles, and before you know it, you’re in pain everywhere. You need to see an osteopath every 3 months, and while they can only relieve the pain, prevent facial sagging and facial asymmetry, that’s already something.

At a friend’s place, her dentist told her it was literally causing her pretty face to sag, and that if she kept it up, she’d end up with a flattened, misshapen face (and she’s so pretty). It really shocked her, but it also motivated her to deal with it.

Psychedelics

Someone mentioned them on a forum; I don’t know if it’s a joke or not, but you’d have to try to find out. They might work because psychedelics have already been used to treat more serious issues than this; stress must be a minor problem compared to that. I’ve heard about the micro-dosing method to reduce stress; I just need to be in a country where it’s legal, and so far, the opportunity hasn’t presented itself ahahaha. I’m not encouraging anyone to do it, I’m just mentioning the available options.

Anyway, I’ve spent at least €2500 since December 2021 (it’s May 2022 now) on seeing various therapists. Each therapist has been able to provide a bit of relief and comfort, whether lasting or not… In 6 months, I went from “I’m tired all the time, I wake up every day with an unbearable headache and feel like I haven’t slept” to “I wear my mouthguard once a week, I wake up cheerfully after a good night’s sleep” and for me, that’s what matters most.

Update February 2023: My road to recovery is still long. So I’ve set aside a monthly budget for my bruxism. Instead of buying loads of cosmetics, I’m going to masseurs, hypnotherapists, osteopaths, dentists, etc. Whenever I’m stressed, I have to go see them and wear my mouthguard more often, but at least I have solutions now to ease the pain, even if I’m not cured yet, and I don’t know if I ever will be. I think my body knows better than I do what’s right and wrong, so I take the signals it sends seriously, especially bruxism. Bruxism can have serious consequences; I could end up with completely ruined teeth, and that’s really not something I wish on anyone. So it’s my top priority, hence the significant budget I allocate to it.

Work comments are disabled. I don’t want NO testimonials, NO private messages PLEASE.
No requests for contact details (I already share what I can; if I don’t share the rest, there’s a reason and I don’t need to justify myself to anyone). It’s up to you (formal) you to find your therapists; it’s important that your therapists are on the same wavelength as you. My therapist isn’t necessarily the right one for you.
Honestly, listening to others’ hardships affects me, and for my own balance, I need to stay in a joyful environment to minimize my bruxism.
Thanks for understanding.

Related posts:

  1. [Story time] How I got a master’s degree through VAE (Validation of Acquired Experience)?
  2. [STORY TIME] Stranded on the Eurostar and hounded by a Europe 1 journalist
  3. [story time] Digitizing an Old Book: My New Volunteer Project
  4. [Story Time] How Air France funded our weekend after a delayed flight?
By  Comments Off on [Guest Post] Bruxism: My Battle