Homeopathic Remedies for Teeth Grinding

28th Mar 2020

Modern medicine can produce some marvelous results, but it doesn’t work for everyone. When the conventional bruxism treatments fail to stop your teeth grinding and symptoms like jaw pain continue, it's both frustrating and scary. You're still stuck dealing with discomfort and the worry of dental damage, and you might feel helpless, dismissed, or disbelieved about your symptoms. In this case, it may be time to give homeopathic remedies for teeth grinding a try.

In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of bruxism, both traditional and homeopathic treatments for teeth grinding, and how homeopathic remedies can offer relief from the destructive discomforts of teeth grinding. We’ll help you understand how homeopathy might offer an answer to your dilemma.

Unfortunately, some people don't get relief with the standard treatments. If you're one of them, doing nothing isn't an option unless you're content to live with discomfort and tooth damage. Looking beyond traditional treatments is a natural next step. Further research is necessary to confirm the success of homeopathic treatments, however; findings reported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine argue homeopathic medicine for teeth grinding should be seen as a reasonable alternative.

Homeopathic remedies for teeth grinding are natural treatments you can do at home to ease pain and discomfort. The science of homeopathy teaches that the body can heal itself without traditional medicine. Homeopathic remedies for bruxism include relaxation techniques, exercise, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Let's take a closer look.

Massage for Bruxism

Relaxation Techniques

Stress and muscle tension can help drive the grinding, gnashing, and clenching that defines bruxism. These relaxation techniques can offer a simple, drug-free antidote:

- Meditation:

Meditation has a long history of reducing stress and turmoil by promoting mindfulness and focus.

- Deep breathing:

Taking deep breaths signals the brain that it's time to relax and slow down. It reduces muscle tension, slows respiration and heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and encourages relaxation.

- Essential oils:

Derived from flowers and other plants, essential oils like lavender, lemon, chamomile, rose, and sage are routinely used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation and ease anxiety.

- Massage:

An example of the healing power of touch, massage can relieve the discomfort and tension triggered by bruxism when it's directed at the tense muscles in the jaw, face, neck, and shoulders.

- Warmth:

Heat soothes sore muscles and eases stress. When bruxism causes pain and tension, a warm compress can encourage tense jaws to relax. Alternatively, drinking warm teas that blend soothing ingredients like lavender, chamomile, and valerian root before bed can ease tension and make it easier to fall and stay asleep.

Exercise

Regular exercise is often touted as a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, and it can offer bruxism patients extra benefits. The body releases natural chemicals during exercise that reduce stress, ease pain, and often make sleeping easier. Relaxing exercises like yoga, Qigong, and tai chi may be especially beneficial.

Vitamins

So many people start their day with vitamins because vitamins provide fuel for crucial tasks within the body. Several vitamins can help manage bruxism. For example, magnesium plays a role in everything from muscle function to neurological activities, and a healthy supply of this crucial building block enables your body to better deal with stress, tension, and healing. Vitamin C and the B-vitamins reduce stress. Calcium helps to keep bones and teeth strong, so it may help teeth resist damage.

Homeopathic Medicines for Teeth Grinding

Herbal Supplements

With its focus on natural substances, homeopathy often uses herbal supplements. Several homeopathic remedies for teeth grinding are:

- Arsenicum album:

If bruxism has sensitized your teeth and left you with restlessness and anxiety that prevent mental or physical stillness, a homeopathic provider might recommend Arsenicum album.

- Belladonna:

When throbbing headaches and mood swings accompany bruxism, belladonna might deliver relief.

- Chamomilla:

If hypersensitivity to noise or pain makes your bruxism worse, chamomilla, or chamomile, may ease discomfort by raising your pain threshold.

- Cina:

Made from the wormseed herb, cina is said to reduce anxiety and irritability and support better sleep.

- Phytolacca:

Phytolacca is crafted from the poke root and recommended for treatment of TMJ troubles that cause pain in the jaw, ear, and throat.

- Plantago:

Used since prehistoric times, Plantago has anti-inflammatory properties that help when bruxism triggers serious pain and extra saliva production.

- Valerian:

Known to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep, valerian also may decrease anxiety.

Understanding Bruxism

Bruxism is a medical condition in which sufferers unconsciously and repetitively grind or clench their teeth. It can occur either during the day as waking bruxism or when you're asleep as sleep bruxism, which is considered a sleep-related movement disorder.

Teeth grinding is often linked to stress, so it's no surprise that pressure or strong emotions can raise your risk of bruxism. Having family members who battle teeth grinding and taking certain medications can also increase the chances you’ll suffer from bruxism. In addition, a wide range of medical conditions are associated with teeth grinding, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep apnea, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).

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Bruxism is typically diagnosed when a dentist spots evidence of the condition, but certain signs and symptoms are readily noticeable to those living with the issue:

Complaints from those around you about your tooth grinding or clenching
Worn or damaged teeth
Sensitive teeth, toothache, or earaches
Soreness in the face, neck, or jaw muscles
Difficulty opening or closing the jaw completely
Headaches
Sleep difficulties

Treating Bruxism: the Traditional Approach

Bruxism isn't an inconvenience. It's a serious health concern that can cause real pain, damage your oral health, and make getting the sleep needed for wellness difficult. That makes treatment all the more important. So, let’s examine the conventional treatments for bruxism.

Mouthguards:

These oral appliances fight bruxism by preventing contact between the teeth and placing the jaw in a healthier position. Often called mouth guards or night splints, they form a physical barrier that makes it impossible to grind your teeth together.

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Medications:

Muscle relaxers can ease tension in the jaw muscles, and over-the-counter and prescription painkillers can ease discomfort. When stress or emotional issues are implicated, antidepressants or antianxiety medications are sometimes prescribed.

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Dental corrections:

If the strain caused by bruxism has damaged your teeth or their alignment, dental corrections offer a way to restore their functionality and appearance.

Patients tend to start their battles against bruxism with traditional treatments. These are the approaches that doctors and dentists recommend first, and in many cases, they work. If managing your bruxism effectively is as easy as wearing a mouthguard that is comfortable, affordable, and convenient, there's no pressing need to look further for other treatment ideas.

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Weighing the Potential of Homeopathic Remedies for Teeth Grinding

Homeopathy is an all-natural alternative that can empower patients by offering them tools to manage their health issues. Relaxation techniques and exercise are generally considered very safe, and these treatments can be used alone or in conjunction with standard approaches.

Vitamins and herbal supplements require a little more care. Users must be careful about dosages, the potential for interactions with other over-the-counter or prescription medications, and the possibility of unpleasant side effects. Supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which can also raise concerns about the quality and safety of these products.

Homeopathic medicine offers a wide array of treatments for bruxism. Before trying any new treatment, it's important to research and make sure you thoroughly understand the risks and benefits of homeopathic treatments. Since everyone's health situation is unique, talk with your doctor or dentist so you're aware of how a particular treatment might impact your health.

If you do decide to use homeopathic remedies for teeth grinding, be sure to share that information with your health care team so that they can keep it in mind when making treatment decisions.

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