Our teeth are very important to our health. We’ve talked about hypnosis for anesthesia several times in past posts, but there is another toothy topic to cover hypnotically. That is teeth grinding. A common malady among adults and children alike.
Teeth Grinding
As a child I spent a lot of time at the dentist. I didn’t have cavities or braces. But I ground my teeth a lot. I was an anxious little thing, full of fear and doubt. I often woke up from sleep with a sore jaw, I ground so hard. I would get headaches and I was warned it would wear down my teeth and cause other health concerns.
While I managed my childhood distress with a mouth guard (sort of). Not everyone has that luxury. There’s also that pesky sort of that I mentioned above. I would often wake up having spit out the darn thing. Or loosing it entirely (as happened one year at summer camp). And the cycle would start all over until we could get a new one.
Doctor, Doctor What Can I Do?
Now, despite the lyrical joke above I’m no doctor. However, the first thing I’d recommend to anyone is to see a dentist or a doctor. I k now, I know. It’s expensive. Not everyone can afford insurance. They can be scary, but you need to know what condition your teeth are in and if anything else could be causing the problem.
Many people grind in their sleep making their teeth more sensitive. It may be an actual problem with your jaw or a pain you’re having in the middle of the night. Or an alignment of your jaw could be an easier fix. However, if it is not an actual medical condition….anxiety or stress is often the cause.
Stress & Anxiety: Toothy Foes
It likely doesn’t surprise you that stress or anxiety can cause people to grind their teeth. When we fail to deal with the stress, anxiety, and fear we experience during the day, it gets processed at night. Which means that you may not be sleeping well. the physical action is your body’s way of attempting to process something you are avoiding.
Hypnosis looks at what could be causing the grinding and then helps you find coping mechanisms and solutions to handle it. It’s all about changing the thoughts and patterns behind the stress. While it may not go away, you can cope with it better. Which means your teeth will ultimately be happier. It will be easier to learn to let things go and relax.
Find Relief
No matter what the root cause, find help. Dental pain is, in many cases, one of the worst kinds of pain you can have. Whether you fix it hypnotically or not, you should look into it. Teeth grinding can cause a lot of pain and dental problems have been linked to a variety of other health issues including immunity, sinus issues, and more.
And if you are curious and want to learn more about hypnosis check out All About Hypnosis. Our epicenter for news, history, scientific updates, and just about anything else you could want to know.
