(no subject)

[listersgirl]

Wow, my teeth really hurt right now - kind of throbbing pain all over, and right in the teeth, not in the gums or jaw. They've been hurting on and off since August, but I was just at the dentist last week, and there's absolutely nothing wrong - no cavities, no weirdness, excellent gum health, great bones. My dentist says they hurt because I clench my jaw and grind my teeth, but I haven't yet figured out how to get myself to stop doing that, since I mostly do it when I'm on the computer or wearing headphones, which is basically...all day every day. And so, pain.

And therefore, I say "owwwwwwwwwww".

Comments

[nonethewiser.livejournal.com]

I second this. Except for me it was jaw pain and popping, which seems to be a bit less with all this Relaxin around.
I should find my damned bite thingy.

[listersgirl]

I have jaw pain too, although that seems to have faded off in favour of the tooth pain. Sigh.

[listersgirl]

Huh, that's interesting - I've been rejecting the night guard that my dentist is trying to push on me because the pain really starts during the day, but if I could wear it during the day as well it might be worth it. Although the weird thing is that it's my front teeth that hurt mostly!

[slgorman.livejournal.com]

Whichever teeth contact each other most and bear the stress will hurt. A good night guard will be made for your mouth, so I don't think this would be a problem.

My teeth never actually hurt, or my TMJ. I would get raging stress headaches. I really didn't think the night guard would work on these, mostly because I didn't really think it was my teeth. And I was so very, very wrong.

[econ-queen.livejournal.com]

Ouch! That doesn't sound fun.

[slgorman.livejournal.com]

Demand a night guard. And then wear it whenever you grind, night or day. I used to wear mine driving around LA during the holiday season because I noticed I would clench tons in really bad traffic, and it worked wonders.

[liquid-siftings.livejournal.com]

seconded!

[starfishchick]

Thirded!

[listersgirl]

Okay, fine - I've been trying to avoid the night guard, but clearly that's what everyone thinks I should do, so I guess I'll give in. :)

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

Yes! Concede to the will of the collective brain!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

You should! It's not a problem I've had myself, but a friend has, and she's found the night guard *so* good for it. It really is worth trying - I hope it will help.

[canirl.livejournal.com]

Strange but true-my teeth hurt when I'm dehydrated. But I doubt that's the case with you?

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

Wow, everyone really wants you to get a night guard! They sound like they know more than me -- I was anti-night guard too before I read the comments. (I was thinking, though, that if they could make a night/day guard that was all squishy that would be fun, and eliminate the "but then aren't you just clenching on a night guard?" issue I always wonder about.)

Certainly it seems like it's worth a try. If it doesn't help, toss it!

[nonethewiser.livejournal.com]

The kind of night guard I have actually brings just the front teeth into play and is quite small and inconspicuous. It works mostly by putting a hard piece of plastic between the front teeth, which activates a reflex - the same one that stops you chewing when you bite into a bone when you're eating. So you actually can't get your back teeth together to clench, in the first place, and it really does discourage from holding those front teeth together too. Night guards have come a long way, it seems.