Is Stress Making You Clench Your Teeth?

If you believe stress has been causing you to clench your teeth more, you’re not alone. Bruxism, or the act of clenching or grinding your teeth, typically at night, has long been related to the emotional wellbeing or mental health. In fact, a 2019 study showed that people who clench their teeth exhibited a higher than average level of stress hormones. This supports additional research that your psychological and emotional wellbeing is very closely tied to whether or not you might be clenching or grinding your teeth.

As a whole, clenching teeth stress as a broader condition has been closely observed to be a psychosomatic issue, meaning it’s very closely tied to one’s stress level and mental health. In addition to stress, other emotional and psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and others are also closely linked to bruxism and its side effects. During a fight or flight response, the human body can tighten specific muscle groups as a natural reaction to stressful stimuli. Specifically, your jaw muscle (the masseter) is one specific muscle group that can tighten up as a result of stress. The slight and consistent tightening of the masseter muscle can lead to soreness, tightness, or inflammation of the masseter muscle, which then leads to clenching your teeth as a way to relieve that muscle group.

An occlusal guard, otherwise known as a bruxism splint, or a night guard, can definitely help. Among other things like cognitive behavioral therapy, prescription medication, and even botox, this is one of the easiest and proven ways to combat the harmful effects of bruxism. An occlusal guard is typically purchased from your dentist, which is custom made according to the exact shape and size of your teeth by the dental lab. These can often be cost-prohibitive but many online dental labs, such as Chomper Labs, are going direct to consumer to make a custom made occlusal guard at a much more affordable price point.

The occlusal guard works by acting as a protective barrier in absorbing and distributing the clenching forces of your teeth, often during sleep but sometimes during the day as well. It may be daunting to evaluate your bruxism as a whole and attempt to consider the potential underlying psychological factors involved, but a night guard is definitely a good place to start!

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Is a Hard or Hybrid Night Guard Right for Me?

When it comes to choosing a night guard, it can sometimes seem difficult to figure out which type will be the best one for you. At Chomper Labs, we create quality custom night guards and give you the ability to choose the material that’s best for you. We’ll walk you through the main factors to consider and explain the difference between two common types of night guards. There are two main factors to consider when choosing a night guard: the level of grinding protection you need and the level of comfort you want. The severity of your grinding will determine how thick and durable the night guard material will need to be, while the comfort level of the night guard may impact how likely you are to wear your night guard and keep it on throughout the night. Now that you know what to keep in mind, let’s talk about two common types of night guard materials. The hard night guard is made of a rigid acrylic material that offers enhanced durability and protection for heavy grinders. It’s a g...

How to Choose the Best Night Guard for Your Grinding

When it comes to teeth grinding and clenching, it can feel overwhelming to figure out what will help relieve your symptoms. Headaches, jaw pain, and teeth damage can have a major impact on your quality of life, and nobody wants the additional headache of trying to find a solution that will actually work! Custom night guards provide the highest level of protection for your teeth and also tend to be much more comfortable than over the counter night guards because of the precision of their fit. Thankfully it is no longer the case that you have to pay outrageous prices for a high quality night guard from the dentist. You can find the exact same quality night guards as the dentist for a fraction of the price online at Chomper Labs with options to fit every teeth grinder or clencher’s needs. When trying to figure out the severity of your grinding and clenching so that you can choose the best night guard for you, the main indicators to look for are your symptoms. Experiencing a tight jaw in ...

What can you do to stop grinding your teeth?

If you find yourself waking up with jaw pain or you’re experiencing tooth damage you may be suffering from bruxism. Bruxism (grinding of the teeth) often occurs during sleep. This is known as nocturnal bruxism. You may also clench your jaw or grind your teeth subconsciously while you're awake, which is called awake bruxism. Teeth grinding is a complicated issue, but you can help prevent the effects of grinding your teeth by doing certain things. Depending on the underlying cause and symptoms of your teeth grinding, some remedies may be more effective than others. Your dentist or doctor can help you find the right solution for ending your bruxism. Discover possible remedies for teeth grinding by reading on. 1. Mouth guards and splints A mouth guard is an occlusal splint that may be beneficial for sleep bruxism. As you sleep, it cushions your teeth and prevents them from grinding against each other. Dentists can custom-make mouth guards for patients, or they can purchase them over-th...

Chomper Labs - Custom Night Guard

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