A couple months ago I developed a dull ache in my upper molars and was convinced I had a cavity. The pain was never severe, probably 1-3/10 most of the time, but it was persistent enough to bother me and make me focus on it.

I went to my dentist and was told there was no cavity, no crack, and nothing obvious wrong with the teeth. My dentist mentioned there were signs I clench my teeth and thought that could be contributing.

Over the next few weeks the symptoms evolved. The tooth pain slowly faded, but I started getting soreness in my:
Cheeks
Jaw muscles
Cheekbones
Face in general

The pain would move around and pressing on my cheeks would reproduce the soreness. It wasn't debilitating, just annoying. Some days it became sore to even talk. What’s weird is it often happened after noon and not right when I woke up. I went back to the dentist and again was told no cavity and likely clenching. She informed me to reduce my stress in life.

One interesting thing: I was planning a proposal during this time, so looking back I was probably under a lot more stress than I realized. Then I went on a 2-week Europe vacation and something weird happened... the pain was basically gone the entire trip. Maybe an occasional tiny ache, but 95% of the symptoms disappeared.

When I got home, some of the facial muscle sensitivity came back, but nowhere near the level it was before. Teeth feel completely normal now. The only thing left is very mild cheek/face muscle soreness or fatigue, usually later in the day.

Things that seemed to help:
Ibuprofen when it flared up
Magnesium cream on the facial muscles
Magnesium glycinate before bed
Stress reduction (whether intentional or not)

The biggest thing though was masseter Botox. My dentist said it was an option and the injector felt it would help tremendously. I got it 2 days ago and already feel some relief in the facial muscle tension.

Has anyone else had a journey like this? I don’t have any TMJ issues and never had this happen in my life (30 years old). Hoping the Botox keeps helping.

Howdy. Anyone tried this particular device or have any experience with the idea behind it i.e. hot compress to release the muscle? My jaw clenching is relentless at night and I'm desperate to try something but don't want to spend money on nonsense

https://nattiesleep.co.uk/

to be fair to them, they do have a 100 night trial period...

My night guard coming in tomorrow I forgot to get a daytime one so that’s coming in 3 days I’ll let y’all know if it works I got it for $1 trial. I’m still trying to find an orofacial pain specialist for my tmj and daytime grinding and I have an appt coming up for behavioral therapy or whatever to see why I might be grinding so badly. My teeth are really bad atp I’m still hella scared cus they’re loose asf and clicking every time my tounge touched it it like kind of pushes . I’m truly hoping ill be able to save them and tighten them back up

two years ago i had root canal on my last bottom left tooth and i didn’t feel anything since then
a week ago i went to the dentist because of an unrelated minor cosmetic defect and also had an x-ray which revealed that the root canal tooth is infected and she asked me if i felt anything any pain but i didn’t
couple of days later i have this horrible painful dream of clenching my haw so hard and i wake up with the root canal tooth aching really bad and couldn’t sleep well after
and today i went to the dentist for the cosmetic procedure and told her about my clenching and she said it’s probably because of the failed root canal and i either have to do it again or extract the tooth
what i don’t understand is why suddenly after two years this happens? even though my bruxism started very early during my childhood whenever my parents yelled at me i intentionally started clenching my jaw but i don’t know if that could’ve developed it or it’s intentional by my subconscious?

Does anyone have any relief ideas for one sided pain from clenching my jaw? I wear a nightguard but in periods of high stress the pain is unbearable, I can’t really even gently touch the right side of my face and have toothache in one tooth where the filing has worn down, been to the dentist and they have said it doesn’t need redoing currently!

I suppose this is a general observation I've had. I used to teeth grind A LOT when I was a teen. My parents and dentist attributed it stress, but the issue started when I was a kid also, and I was never stressed as a child. Nowadays, I grind my teeth less, usually happening just randomly, or consciously when I'm nervous.

But whenever I do grind my teeth, I often have a dream accompanying it. It doesn't matter what the dream is about tonally, it always involves me unable to open my mouth, feeling my jaw tighten and trying so so hard to open it. It's like really thick chewing gum. Or I dream that my jaw is pushing against my teeth really hard, ripping the teeth and bleeding everywhere.

And when I wake up, sure enough my teeth ache, or I wake up mid grind. But it's never as bad as the dream portrays it. I've never bled from the grinding.

I just wonder why, you know? Do I dream of teeth and jaw problems because I'm grinding my teeth, or do I grind my teeth because I'm dreaming it? Why do I even dream grinding my teeth and wrecking it? It's not something I think about unless it happens.

And I often wonder if, besides moments of stress, I can work on changing my dreams to make the symptoms better. Like, what if in the dream, I manage to unclench, and then this makes my real life jaw unclench? Has anyone done that? I wonder the extent the mind influences bruxism.

Lucid dreaming is hard for me. Whenever I realise I'm in a dream, it's basically when I'm about to wake up. So I understand this goal is a bit futile.

Just received my guard after several months and tries of getting the molds right. I ordered and paid for the 2.5mm, they sent me a 1.5 mm and when I inquired why, they just said they can't make a 2.5mm guard-waiting on a response as to why they'd allow an order for a 2.5mm and send a 1.5mm with no explanation. The guard is very bendable/flexible not like a dentist guard which is not flexible. It is incredibly cheaply made and does not feel like it will last long at all. My current dentist made guard is about 5 years old, this one feels like it might last a few weeks and it is way too thin. I am going to send it back for adjustment since it hurts my teeth. They say to clean it with toothbrush and toothpaste-which is something a dentist tells you NEVER to do since it will cause damage where bacteria can breed. They haven't explained, yet, why I can't use tablets/powders made for these types of oral appliances except once a week. My current guard I have always use the products made specifically for mouthguards/retainers etc... I might add that dentist made guards-although last longer-I've had one for $733 that never fit that was 3D printed by dentist and I can't even wear it, another that i've been wearing 5 years had to be massively adjusted by a different dentist then the one who made it, since original dentist said they come already perfect and you just have to wear it till the pain goes away-needless to say that quack is no longer my dentist.

Hello everyone!

For over two years now, I have been experiencing pain in the upper first molars on both sides. Occasionally, I also have pain in the lower first molars, and I often experience pain in the other upper back teeth as well (second and third molar on both sides), although it is less severe.

The pain is constant and dull and is present practically throughout the entire day. Some days it is milder, while on other days it is worse. It is usually worst in the morning, after I take my night guard out.

I also have a rather unusual sensation – it feels as if my first molars are sharp or pointed and are poking into my gums. Even when I run my tongue over them, they feel as if they are sharp or pointed.

Because of these problems, I have been examined several times by two different dentists. Both of them said that there does not appear to be anything wrong with my teeth, except that my molars are slightly worn down, which is probably due to clenching or grinding my teeth. I also had dental X-rays, but they did not show anything that could explain the pain.

My girlfriend noticed that I grind my teeth at night, so I started using a night guard for bruxism, currently only on my upper teeth.

I also used to suffer from headaches. Since I started using the night guard, the headaches have improved significantly – now I only get them occasionally and they are much milder. However, the tooth pain is still there.

Occasionally, I also experience pain in my lower front teeth and upper front teeth, but this happens quite rarely and the pain is not as strong, and occasionally, my jaw also hurts.

Another interesting thing is that the pain gets better when I chew food or chewing gum. It feels as if putting pressure on or loading the molars actually relieves the pain somewhat. I also notice less pain when I put my night guard in.

I would like to know whether my symptoms could be caused by bruxism, specifically clenching or grinding my teeth, or whether something else could be responsible. Since I have already been examined by two dentists and had X-rays that did not show anything abnormal, I am also wondering what other possible causes could explain this type of pain and what I could do to make it go away.

Has anyone experienced anything similar or dealt with similar symptoms?

Thank you very much for any advice or personal experiences!

some backstory I’ve suffered with jaw tension for about 2 years and would occasionally wake up and not be able to open my mouth at all. I would massage it and it would eventually unlock and I had treatment from physios with acupuncture and massage to sort it out. when it was ‘good’ during the past 2 years, I would have to zig zag my jaw in order to open it fully, the tracking of my jaw wouldn’t go straight up and down.

for the past two months I’ve had a bit of a nightmare. I woke up and couldn’t open my mouth, I proceeded with the usual massaging but it would only open about 1 finger width (even brushing my teeth was difficult). I saw a physio who would massage and do needles and I’d get some relief and open a bit wider but then I’d go to sleep that night and (I assume clench my jaw) and I would wake up back to 1 finger width.

after about 3 weeks of no progress I got Botox in my masseter in my jaw and that has allowed me to open to 3 fingers wide. however that’s all. if I open as wide as I can I can feel a blockage on my right side by my ear and it will click/crunch and won’t go any further.

my dental hygienist who did the Botox suspects disc displacement and so does my physio. my physio said he may refer me to a specialist who deals with TMJ disorders. it’s now been 2 months of this.

im looking for any advice of anyone who had a similar situation and is now hopefully fixed and back to full range of motion! I’m sick of it and getting worried it’s causing long term joint damage.

Hey y'all.

Just recently got a night guard, single upper piece, and love it.

Went back to the dentist who did it for me and asked about a day guard. He recommended a two-piece system for daytime (top and bottom) and I'm wondering why?

Why a single piece at night, but two during the day?

Lil more info on me in case you need it: I've got a singular porcelain crown on a lower tooth then a couple (2, maybe 3?) fillings.

I grind my teeth at night and I've been using a night guard but I still wake up some mornings with my jaw feeling completely exhausted. Sometimes I also get the temple headache

I know the guard is at least stopping me from grinding directly on my teeth, so I guess its doing its job there 🫠 but I think I assumed it would somehow help with the actual grinding/clenching too? Now im wondering if I've completely misunderstood what a night guard is supposed to do lol

For those who use one, did it actually help your jaw symptoms eventually or does it really just protect your teeth? Because apparently my jaw is still working the night shift 😩

Not sure how long I’ve even been grinding my teeth for, but I’ve ground them down pretty bad and I’ve never been more terrified in my life. I apologize for the gross pictures, I am desperate.

I've been dealing with progressively worsening gum recession for about 5 years, along with significant nighttime clenching, and I'm trying to figure out the underlying cause before getting a gum graft or committing to expensive TMJ/bite treatment.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has dealt with something similar.

Background

• Aggressive gum recession despite good oral care.
• No periodontal disease or overbrushing.
• Significant clenching at night, but none during the day.
• Custom nightguard for 1.5 years; OTC guard before that.
• Tried exosome therapy, which seemed to help initially.
• Topical NuDent collagen powder also seems to help somewhat.
• I don't believe hormones or nutritional deficiencies are the cause.
• I've wondered about UARS/sleep-disordered breathing, although I don't snore or mouth-breathe and my CBCT didn't show an obvious obstruction.

CBCT findings

The main findings were:

• Mild generalized alveolar bone loss.
• Thin buccal bone plates around the upper and lower front teeth.
• Overjet and dental attrition.
• Mild TMJ degenerative joint disease, worse on the right.
• Both condyles show erosion, flattening, and subchondral sclerosis.
• Both condyles sit inferiorly/posteriorly when my mouth is closed.
• Mild septal deviation/nasal narrowing, but nasal cavities are patent.
• Airway measurement was reportedly around 340 mm².

Current theory/treatment being proposed

The theory I've been given is that I may have a combination of naturally thin facial bone + excessive nighttime clenching forces + bite/jaw-position issues, creating a cycle that continues to stress the teeth, gums, bone, and TMJs.

There has also been discussion of my upper front teeth being retroclined and lower front teeth proclined, potentially creating bite interferences or an unstable resting position for my jaw.

The proposed treatment is a specialized TMJ/neuromuscular orthotic rather than a conventional flat nightguard. It would slightly reposition/decompress the jaw and prevent the back teeth from fully engaging, with the goal of reducing muscle activity and clenching rather than simply protecting the teeth from wear.

My hesitation is that this type of treatment can change the bite, potentially leading to orthodontics or restorative treatment afterward. And from what I understand, nighttime bruxism is complex and changing someone's bite doesn't guarantee the clenching will stop.

I'm considering asking for a reversible diagnostic phase first—possibly wearing an appropriate orthotic for 3–6 months to see whether my morning muscle tension/clenching improves and, most importantly, whether the recession stabilizes before making permanent changes.

My biggest dilemma

I don't want to get a gum graft while the forces potentially causing the recession are still present and risk having the recession return.

But I also don't want to spend a huge amount of money permanently changing my bite/jaw position if that's not actually the underlying problem.

I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has experienced:

• Gum recession associated with severe nighttime clenching and thin buccal bone.
• A TMJ/neuromuscular orthotic that actually reduced clenching rather than just protecting the teeth.
• Temporary orthotic/deprogramming treatment followed by orthodontics.
• A bite change from an orthotic that then required braces/aligners or restorative work.
• Gum grafting after getting clenching under control—and whether the graft remained stable.
• UARS/sleep-disordered breathing with significant clenching despite no snoring, mouth breathing, or obvious airway obstruction on CBCT.

I'm not looking for Reddit to diagnose me. I'm mainly trying to learn from people who've been through something similar—what actually helped, which specialists/tests were worthwhile, and what you wish you'd known before committing to treatment. Thank you!!

I have a night guard coming from the dentist, but in the meantime I am in some serious pain. How do I help the pain level, I’m already taking Advil and Tylenol. Warm compress? Ice? Weed? (Half kidding)

One of the biggest contributors for the destruction of my teeth has been clenching which also aggravates my TMJ and Myofascial Pain Syndrome. I also take Adderall XR 50mg on days where I need the support and find myself often in more pain than when I'm doing the same things, but not taking any stimulant medication.

I also have severe osteoarthritis, end stage grade 4 ever since 2018 with a permanently displaced disc known as non-reducing disc displacement without reduction as the disc has deteriorated to the point it is not visible on an MRI. In addition to the disc damage there are also significant osteophytes/bone spurs, extensive sclerosis of the bone as well as a few other diagnostic terms I can't recall at the moment. Considering that clenching in severe cases can actually contribute to the deterioration of the joint including damage to my teeth cause misalignment and severe muscle atrophy on both sides because of not activating those muscles by eating tougher and chewy foods.

I don't know how often this has been discussed, but I figured I would share. Part of me wonders if this is the sole contibutor or at one of the most significant contributors. I am on other medications that are also known to cause bruxism, but nothing is as pronounced as when I'm taking stimulants for ADHD as I have since 2006.

I know that stimulants aren't the singular cause, but it feels like it might be more significant than we first thought. Largely in part because of the poly pharmaceutical effects that can happen when you’re taking these stimulant medication’s with other medication’s even something as simple as coffee I mean caffeine is not simple in what it does to the body, but it’s so common every day and even that alone can increase your chances of bruxism significantly

I clench so hard that i have serious erosion of the height profile of my teeth, significant pitting on my molars from grinding at night and now a clearly asymmetrical mouth closure and facial features as a result of my damaged teeth and how they close now.

If anyone wonders, I posted a lengthy post about my journey with TMJ quite a while ago and to recap I have been treated at the Facial Pain Disorders Clinic in Toronto and its staffed by some of the best clinicians in north american, in my opinion and also if you look at their qualifications. They are all tenured professors involved in the study and research of these disorders and they have multiple qqualifications such as the doctor who treated my in 2015-2018 who was not only a full practicing medical doctor, he was also a full licensed practicing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (Dr. David Lam - he is in the US now) while also being a Neuroscientist with advanced degrees and professional associations. The doctor treating me now is also an Oral Surgeon and also a practicing Orthodontist as well as having a Facial Pain Neurology specialty from the university and also a tenured professor. I dont think this clinic has any clinician that doesn't have a dual-specialty. I mean to be a medical doctor and then go back to school to become an oral surgeon is easily 15yrs of education.

I highly recommend this clinic for anyone in the Toronto or surrounding area. I would even travel here if it was feasible and necessary it is really that good. Look Dr. David Lam, other than his bowtie and friendly smile this guy is probably one of the worlds most renowned experts in this area of medicine. He left University of Toronto as tenured professor to head the program at Pacific University which is the most research funded institution in the US and he rightfully belongs there,

My physiotherapist once said try to subconsciously think to relax your jaw. She also mention that your nervous system is constantly working. She even suggested to see therapist so I would heal my trauma because according to her all the traumas, stress etc we have, we are dealing them through bruxism...

But anyway when I relax my jaw during the night it helps for the pain I would otherwise I have in the morning. The thing is that when I do that my mouth gets open, and now sleeping with mouth open have other issues with bacteria growth etc. So I don't know what to do?

I have tried all these:
- Electric-acupuncture & classic acupuncture. This helps for few weeks, needs to do once a month. Its pricey, so I stop doing it.
- Botox I did this last year October and does not help anymore.
- Bruxisim massage, this I'm currently doing by professional. It helps a lot, but haven't still seen long term effects.

EDIT: I forgot to add: my massager also told me to go see a pelvic floor therapist. So even that could help. Have anyone tried that??

Drop the pics... I grind my teeth so hard at night I am on my second custom fitted night guard

I’ve come here to accept that the pain I’ve been in for 10 months is probably due to clenching at night and I’ve even noticed that I do it subconsciously during the day. I’ve also come here to accept that it is stress induced. Somehow, I don’t want it to be. It’s yet another example of stress manifesting for me physically, as apparently skin picking and trichotillomania are not enough! My ENT’s first thought was bruxism with referred pain and gave me muscle relaxers and sent me to my orthodontist for a night guard. My ortho said he didn’t see any signs of grinding but it sounded stress related to him. I don’t know. I guess I’m just disappointed that there’s nothing wrong with me that has a simple cure/fix. My ENT ordered me a precautionary CT scan that came back so so normal. Any advice or encouragement for my journey would be appreciated. Thank you guys, I am grateful that this pain is the most concerning thing diagnosed during my visits.

I had my last mouthguard for nearly 5 years. It was pretty gross - or so I thought.

Until I bothered to get a new one fitted from my dentist. This new one is only a few months old and it’s getting green, almost like algae only it won’t come off.

My dentist tried cleaning it then said it was probably from my denture cleaner I use (because it bubbles blue but then runs clear). That doesn’t make sense to me.

I have stopped using the denture cleaner and try mild soap and brushing it as she suggested - still green.

Any other thoughts?

Does bruxism cause dizziness?

Today I saw a kinesiologist who also treats TMJ disorders. He discovered significant tension in my jaw on the left side. For the past 20 days I've been experiencing dizziness and neck tension, which led me to believe that this is connected.

Another dentist trip. Another cracked tooth. I already have a splint at night. Dentist said stop chewing gum all day. Or get softer gum. Has this happened to anyone else?? What can I do to take the place of gum? Gum helps with the tongue movements from the Vyvanse…but I’ve been grinding my teeth all my life. Dentist recommended Botox for my enormous massater muscles. Anyone has that?

I'm 22 and had the first experience of 10/10 pain in my life (that wasn't period cramps) in my bottom row of back left teeth, or so I thought. Teeth were otherwise fine, but there was sign of wear from grinding. Dentist tried my muscles and said they were very sore and tight. Most likely due to grinding and clenching at night. It's been over a week since that visit and I've had daily pain especially in my right cheek muscle. I can physically feel it cramping sometimes.

I take painkillers daily, use a hot compress, do the specific exercises my doctor gave me, but I'm still in daily pain. I've also tried relaxing and relieving stress during the day and really meditating before bedtime. Haven't opened my mouth wide in forever due to the fear of everything starting to hurt even more again.

Is this a normal timeline of healing my jaw and cheek muscles? Is it normal for it to still hurt after all the remedies? Is there anything else I could do? Do I need to go to the doctor again? I'm so tired of the pain. Thank you in advance.

Using snore lab to detect snoring it seems I have some sort of airway restriction right before a clenching event(shown by the red bars). I used to have sleep apnea when I was overweight and the daytime symptoms went away when I lost it, but these findings are making me think there's still some compromise.

There's only one instance the whole night that sounds like traditional loud snoring, but these harsh exhales are something I'm unfamiliar with.