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After briefly introducing Bruxism, this article will provide you with information on managing and alleviating pain, reducing damage to your teeth and jaw and finally it will look at ways in which you can have a real chance of kicking the Bruxism habit for good.

BRUXISM is characterized by a grinding together of the teeth and clenching of the jaw when not eating. It is habit forming and usually triggered in childhood as a type of self-soothing' mechanism just like sucking a comforter or a thumb. Most people grow out of the habit by the age of eight or nine. However, if the problem persists into the teenage and/or adult years or it begins to cause other problems (see below), then help should be sought to alleviate the symptoms and free you from the habit. It can also occur in adulthood at times of stress etc.

The aim of treatment should be to: alleviate pain, prevent damage to the teeth and jaw and reduce or eliminate the behavior.

If, whilst working on eliminating the behavior, your aim is to reduce associated pain, there are some steps that you can take:

Learn to relax. Get into the habit of relaxing your facial muscles and your
jaw several times a day.
Massage the muscles in your neck, shoulders and face with the aim of soothing
and alleviating pain.
Use ice to relieve sore jaw muscles.
Avoid chewy food such as, toffee, steak etc.
Drink lots of water daily.
Reduce your general stress levels.
Learn relaxation techniques (e.g. progressive muscle relaxation).
Take care of yourself: improve your diet, get some exercise and ensure that
you get enough sleep balance is the key here.
Reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet (and stimulants generally).

If your aim is to prevent damage to your teeth you should:

Talk to your dentist or orthodontist about the fitting of a mouth guard.

Remember, your dentist will have many different types so if one doesn't work ask for another.

If you aim is to unlearn the behavior then the following are probably the most effective options:

Behavior therapy
Hypnotherapy
Self-hypnosis

Behavior therapy is good for day-time clenching, as through it you can become consciously aware of the habit. Once you are consciously aware you can then learn to control, reduce and ultimately eliminate the behavior. However, even though individuals can successfully overcome bruxism using this technique it is also possible that during future periods of stress you may find that it returns. This, however, is not the end of the world; it just means that you have

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