There is a lot of money in my mouth! I have 2 gold crowns on my back molars and it’s all due to stress. Believe it or not, clenching my teeth at night has caused so much pressure on my back teeth that they literally cracked! I am not the only mom who suffers from teeth clenching or grinding during our supposedly restful, nights sleep. I have many friends who have the same complaint.
Do you wake up with a sore jaw? Do you have headaches throughout the day? Do you have pain in your shoulders and/or neck? All of these may be a sign that you are clenching or grinding your teeth at night. They may also be a sign of something more serious called TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome) which afflicts 10 million Americans. Here’s a simple test to see if you have TMJ: place your little fingers in your ears so that your hearing is hindered. Then slowly and steadily open and close your jaw. If at any point you hear a clicking, popping, and/or grinding noise, the jaw joints may be out of alignment, and it’s time to see a professional!
Obviously, reducing the stress in our lives would help this painful situation but I’ve found that mission is almost impossible. And if I’m sleeping I have no control over what my teeth are doing! So, here is some help for those of you with clenching problems and it can also be helpful for those with TMJ. The help comes in the form of calcium supplements. I’m a big proponent of getting the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat but sometimes you need a little extra. For me, every night before I go to bed is one of those times that I take a little extra calcium.
To me, calcium has been a wonder drug. It’s essential in proper muscle function and has a calming effect. It also prevents bone softening and relieves stress. So, instead of clenching my teeth, my muscles are more relaxed and my bones are not deteriorating.
When choosing a calcium supplement, keep the following in mind:
1 – Your body cannot absorb more than 500 mg of calcium at a time.
2 – Choose a whole food supplement (that goes for all supplements you may be taking) not a synthetic, man-made supplement which have been proven to be possibly more harmful than helpful.
3 – Take magnesium with the calcium which balances the calcium and aids in absorption (most calcium supplements have magnesium already added to them)
4 – For added benefit, take them an hour before bed. Calcium can make you sleepy!
I use Garden of Life Living Calcium Advanced. However, there are many other good calcium supplement choices out there. Therefore, give this therapy a try. It might take some stress away, relieve teeth clenching and help you get a good night’s sleep!
Do you wake up with a sore jaw? Do you have headaches throughout the day? Do you have pain in your shoulders and/or neck? All of these may be a sign that you are clenching or grinding your teeth at night. They may also be a sign of something more serious called TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome) which afflicts 10 million Americans. Here’s a simple test to see if you have TMJ: place your little fingers in your ears so that your hearing is hindered. Then slowly and steadily open and close your jaw. If at any point you hear a clicking, popping, and/or grinding noise, the jaw joints may be out of alignment, and it’s time to see a professional!
Obviously, reducing the stress in our lives would help this painful situation but I’ve found that mission is almost impossible. And if I’m sleeping I have no control over what my teeth are doing! So, here is some help for those of you with clenching problems and it can also be helpful for those with TMJ. The help comes in the form of calcium supplements. I’m a big proponent of getting the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat but sometimes you need a little extra. For me, every night before I go to bed is one of those times that I take a little extra calcium.
To me, calcium has been a wonder drug. It’s essential in proper muscle function and has a calming effect. It also prevents bone softening and relieves stress. So, instead of clenching my teeth, my muscles are more relaxed and my bones are not deteriorating.
When choosing a calcium supplement, keep the following in mind:
1 – Your body cannot absorb more than 500 mg of calcium at a time.
2 – Choose a whole food supplement (that goes for all supplements you may be taking) not a synthetic, man-made supplement which have been proven to be possibly more harmful than helpful.
3 – Take magnesium with the calcium which balances the calcium and aids in absorption (most calcium supplements have magnesium already added to them)
4 – For added benefit, take them an hour before bed. Calcium can make you sleepy!
I use Garden of Life Living Calcium Advanced. However, there are many other good calcium supplement choices out there. Therefore, give this therapy a try. It might take some stress away, relieve teeth clenching and help you get a good night’s sleep!
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