Stress can manifest in many different ways, including in your mouth. The most common showing is through TMJ (the temporomandibular joint). You have two temporomandibular joints, one on each side of your mouth, which connects your jawbone to your skull. These joints produce a hinge-like motion that allows you to open and close your mouth, chew food, yawn, and control other jaw movements. 

When someone is under a great deal of stress, they may clench their jaw or grind their teeth, often subconsciously. This causes their TMJ to lock up, and they find it difficult to open their mouth or eat food. Because these movements are done without the person knowing, it can be a hard habit to break. 

Luckily, there are many fixes to TMJ pain. Many dentists recommend custom mouth guards to wear at night, reducing the chance of grinding teeth while asleep. However, if the issue is from grinding your teeth during the day or clenching your jaw, a mouth guard probably won’t work for you. If that’s the case, Botox may be the answer for you. 

Botox is no longer used for purely cosmetic reasons; it can now be used to treat migraines, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), and TMJ pain. Another bonus is that Botox keeps you off of hard prescription pills. At Cakmes Dental Studio, we will never choose to prescribe prescription pills unless that’s our last resort. With TMJ pain, Botox is safer and more effective, so it’s our preferred route. 

The primary use of Botox is to relax facial muscles, whether in a cosmetic way to reduce forehead wrinkles or in a pain-management way to prevent jaw pain or lockjaw. Botox blocks nerve signals to the brain, which allows the specific area targeted to relax. When we inject Botox into your strained muscle, it will have a relaxing effect, and you will no longer feel the need to clench your jaw or grind your teeth. In addition, the Botox will work to decrease spasms which will limit lockjaw and create a wider range of motion. 

Botox can be performed in our office in just one treatment, and many people start to feel relief within five to ten days. If you or someone you know is suffering from TMJ pain due to stress, it may be time to consider Botox as a solution. Call us to set up a consultation to determine if Botox is the best option. It’s important to know your options during Stress Awareness Month and beyond.

Every April we acknowledge the causes, symptoms, and treatments for stress. For around 30 years, Stress Awareness Month has strived to bring awareness to the ways stress impacts our daily routines and what we can do about it. In order to find ways to alleviate stress, it’s first important to identify the cause and what symptoms you may be experiencing, even without realizing it. Teeth grinding and clenching your jaw are common signs of stress or anxiety and can have damaging effects if they continue in the long term. 

Effects of Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, also referred to as Bruxism, occurs when you are constantly grinding, gnashing, or clenching your teeth together. This behavior can be unconscious, and you may notice that it increases when you’re feeling stressed or while sleeping. Grinding your teeth can chip and fracture your teeth as well as cause them to become loosened from the repeated pressure. Your tooth enamel can also be worn down, which leads to increased pain and sensitivity. Along with the effects on your teeth, Bruxism can cause jaw pain and headaches. 

What Treatments are Available?

One way to reduce teeth grinding is to start by managing your stress. Find ways to keep yourself relaxed or make note of times when you’re feeling stressed and focus on keeping your jaw relaxed to prevent clenching or grinding your teeth together. Practicing relaxation techniques can also help you reduce this behavior. Some dentists may recommend a mouth guard for sleeping which can keep you from gnashing your teeth at night. Another option that’s been proven beneficial is that of Botox®. Botox® relieves tension in the jaw by making the muscles unable to physically perform the movements that cause the pain, especially when they are unconscious. If you notice any tooth or jaw pain, or have chips and fractures as a result of teeth grinding, it is important to get in to see a dentist who can recommend a personalized treatment plan.  

At Cakmes Dental Studio, we want everyone to feel confident and happy with their smile. If you have teeth grinding tendencies or have noticed the effects of grinding your teeth, we can help you restore, and even improve, your smile. We can address and fix any painful teeth as a result of damaged enamel and can repair any chips with our aesthetic contouring services. Long-term teeth grinding can lead to more significant issues down the road, so it’s important to not put this off. Give us a call at (865) 584-6163 or visit our website to request an appointment.