Acupuncture for grinding teeth and pain
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism encompasses grinding and clenching that can occur while awake or unconsciously while asleep. Stress, anxiety and certain factors like caffeine and medications can trigger it and the damage it causes can be not only detrimental to your oral health but also your hip pocket in dental bills!
Most commonly teeth grinding occurs at night while you sleep; perhaps your partner has told you that they hear you grinding at night? Or maybe you wake up with tight jaw muscles or a headache? Commonly your dentist can confirm that you have indeed been grinding your teeth because they can see the damage to the tooth enamel.
Either way teeth grinding not only wears away at the enamel on your teeth, it is also linked to myofascial pain such as temporomandibular joint disfunction (TMJ), chronic neck pain, headaches and poor sleep. The action of involuntary clenching or grinding is thought to be connected with how neurotransmitters in our dopaminergic nervous system are firing off which is associated with stress patterns and anxiety.
Let’s look at some of the underlying causes of teeth grinding and why I believe it should be treated holistically:
• High stress levels
• Trauma and anxieties affecting you on a sub-conscious level
• Nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin D
• Poor diet such as additives and processed foods
• Sleep apnoea
• Stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, pharmaceutical and recreational drugs.
Many dentists will recommend that those who grind their teeth wear a custom-made mouth guard which will, if worn nightly, successfully protect their teeth. But this only addresses the surface issue, it doesn’t address the deeper issues such as muscle tension and subsequent pain patterns that often arise in these patients.
How can acupuncture help with teeth grinding and pain?
Acupuncture needles placed in very specific points on the face and body can stimulate fibres in the peripheral nervous system. This can then produce an electrical change that triggers a cascade of other neurotransmitters and hormones designed to relax and relieve pain. These substances include but are not limited to dopamine, noradrenaline, endorphins and cortisol.
The overall aim is to shift or “re-wire” the current patterns to prevent the involuntary muscle contraction, tension and pain that characterises teeth grinding and TMJ dysfunction. This has not only an effect on the local muscles but on your whole nervous system therefore addressing the root cause of the teeth grinding.
What does a treatment for teeth grinding look like?
Believe it or not, acupuncture needles, which are very fine flexible and ultra smooth cause minimal to no discomfort when inserted and stimulated.
After a detailed consult where I gather enough information to get a picture behind the root cause of the grinding, I will take your pulse and look at your tongue. I will then work on the muscles around your jaw, neck and shoulders to gauge the muscle tension and ask you to rate your pain levels when certain points are pressed. Needles may be placed on many areas of the body but most commonly on the jaw, neck, shoulders, hands and feet. The needles stay in for at least 20 mins during which time I encourage my patients to relax however best they prefer such as to meditate or listen to music.
Treatments may also include cupping, herbal prescriptions and nutrient suggestions. Very often, relief can be felt immediately but it may take a few treatments before the pain and anxieties are properly managed.
So, if you would like to wake up well rested and live your life with less pain and discomfort make an appointment today.
Read more about Dr Shirley TCM
Dr Shirley O’Dwyer currently practices at Ranges Integrative Health on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bookings can be made online from our bookings page or by calling 9754 2062.
