Also called “Bruxism,” teeth grinding is a main symptom in patients who experience forms of anxiety and stress, either mentally or physically. When stressed, specific muscle groups in the face tense, causing the jaw to tighten and clamp down. Acute and chronic teeth grinding can cause painful symptoms that can become hard to manage.

What are the symptoms of teeth grinding?

Many different symptoms can stem from anxiety, especially when patients are grinding their teeth, whether mostly at night or during the daytime. The most common symptoms experienced are,

• -Tenderness and pain to the touch or while moving the jaw
• -Mild to severe headaches, typically called “tension headaches”
• -Restricted movement of the jaw
• -Stiffness of the jaw
• -Weakness of muscles in the face
• -Tight muscles that can affect the neck, shoulders, and posture
• -Nerve compression
• -Constant clicking noise or grinding sound when moving the jaw muscles
• -Sensitive teeth

Patients can experience various levels of pain, depending on how much they are grinding and how their body reacts. Some will feel a gradual increase of symptoms over years of untreated Bruxism, and others can feel the effect right away.

How can teeth grinding be treated?

A dentist is the first place that many patients visit when having issues with grinding their teeth. Often, a night guard (retainer) will be molded to fit the patient’s teeth and provide cushion, so the teeth do not become further damaged. Retainers do not always correct the root cause of the problem, however.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says that acupuncture may help ease chronic pain associated with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction or TMJ, which is directly associated with prolonged teeth grinding.

Since the symptoms of teeth grinding indicate a functional disorder within the bodily systems, specifically the muscular system in the face, treating the root cause is more productive to achieve healing. Acupuncture targets the area in which is directly causing the issue, such as an anxiety or stress disorder. When visiting Fast Relief Acupuncture for the first time, our highly trained Acupuncturist, John Kim, will perform a thorough evaluation of your symptoms to determine exactly how the deviation is occurring. A treatment plan will be correlated for your specific needs.

During treatment, Acupuncture techniques will be used to balance the bodily systems, which is most important for reducing anxiety or stress symptoms and promoting relaxation and emotional stability. As the body produces Relaxin and Endorphins, the hormones responsible for de-stressing, the Myofascial Muscles can relax, reducing the occurrence of teeth grinding and jaw clenching. This process triggers the loosening of neck muscles and shoulder muscles, which will also correct posture and alleviate tension throughout the back.

As patients experience symptoms of teeth grinding from anxiety, they may not realize that getting to the root cause of the issue is most important. As the body reacts to outside factors such as stress and anxiety, issues arise such as teeth grinding that can lead to TMJ. At Fast Relief Acupuncture, we know that our bodily systems are all beautifully intertwined, which means that jaw pain can cause neck pain which can cause posture issues which can cause back pain … and so on! It is so important to treat teeth grinding right down to the beginning, that way, the entire body can find relief and healing.

John Kim specializes in treating TMJ and posture disorders. He has received multiple certifications in these practice areas and has seen hundreds of patients during his tenor as an Acupuncturist. To find fast relief from your jaw, teeth, or muscle pain, visit Fast Relief Acupuncture today!