Teeth Grinding

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I wear a night guard to protect my teeth while I sleep. I also grind while awake, when I am stressed or annoyed. I once had an abscess tooth, which my dentist believes may have been caused by grinding, since my teeth are otherwise very healthy (I'm 38 and besides the abscess had only two other cavities). Before then, I wore my night guard sporadically, now I try to wear it every night.

I used to when I was asleep.

I can't sleep without my mouthguard now- just another thing that makes me high-maintainance.
But I am a compulsive gum-chewer during the day too- (similar to grinding, really).

I don't really "grind" my teeth in the strict sense of meeting the diagnosis criteria of Bruxism, but I do have a semi-voluntary teeth-chattering tic or stim (I often do it without thinking but can stop it once I realize I'm doing it, but then I start doing it again When I'm not aware if it). I hate it because it causes my massester (chewing) muscles to feel tense, often causing headaches. I don't seem to go it when I sleep because my chewing muscles usually aren't tense when I wake up, it usually occurs when I am sitting or standing, not when laying down.

Yeah

I only did back when I wore a retainer. I ended up making a big hole in it.

I grind my teeth.

My nocturnal teeth grinding is in direct relation to my stress level. I've practically ground my teeth down to nubs in the last year.

My son stress grinds too only nocturnally.

I do while sleeping and it can drive my poor partner crazy.

Dennis
Minneapolis, MN

So, is there some kind of link between teeth grinding and Aspergers?

Dennis
Minneapolis,MN

i dont but it could be stim
or tic

oh my God do I ever! he he, my dentist is worried.

to be honest, I was grinding my teeth without realizing it, right when I read the topic of the poll. Now I feel silly.

Only in my sleep.

I know it is an old topic, but I am in a lot of pain grinding my teeth all day. I find that if I rock- on purpose, not a stim, I don't do it. I don't want to start rocking all the time though. I have the night time mouth guard, but it isnt something I can wear all day. Does anyone else grind all day? Any tips?

As a kid, I "grit" my teeth religiously. I loved the way it felt and the way it sounded. An early stim perhaps? My parents swore I was going to have jagged teeth when I grew up but since they were in the back I didn't care and I would rather have ugly teeth than give up the pleasure grinding them provided.