While grinding your teeth is a common habit, if left untreated and not cared for, it can cause oral damage such as shortened teeth, increased sensitivity, broken teeth, severe pain, and more. While there are many causes of teeth grinding, one of the most common is stress.
In many situations, people who experience high levels of stress and anxiety begin grinding and clenching their teeth unknowingly, particularly when they are asleep. To help reduce this destructive habit, many experts suggest stress management techniques. Let’s talk about several of them that have been proven effective.
1. Yoga
Yoga offers many physical and mental health benefits. It is an excellent form of exercise, and it reduces stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. It helps lower the heart rate and blood pressure, and it can improve your quality of sleep. Yoga also encompasses meditation techniques, which helps you focus on your breathing and clear your mind, another popular and effective form of stress management.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a popular treatment option to help individuals reduce their stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. This therapy is designed to help you change your thinking and the way you behave. It can help you work through stress and the causes of it and change the way you deal with high-stress and high-pressure situations.
3. Take Time for Self-Care
Self-care is an important aspect of stress management. This can look differently for every individual but should be an important piece of their daily routine. This is when an individual sets aside time each day for themselves — to do something they enjoy.
Whether that is participating in a specific hobby or interest, relaxing in a hot tub, visiting the spa, reading a good book, going for a run, etc., it needs to be something the person enjoys and that they look forward to doing each day.
4. Writing About Your Stress
Keeping your stress and negative emotions inside can create muscle tension, anxiety, anger, and more. It can lead to negative effects such as teeth grinding if not released properly. One way to help reduce many of these emotions is through writing. Establish a habit of regularly writing in a journal.
Write about many of the issues you are stressed about and develop a plan to overcome them. It is also important to write about things you are grateful for. Expressing and showing gratitude for various things in your life will help you focus on the positive and cancel out those negative feelings.
If you or a loved one grinds their teeth, visit with your dentist at Pickering Square Dental. Your dentist can help you develop a treatment plan to stop the problem before it causes further damage.