How to Stop Grinding Teeth with 15 Home Remedies

teeth illustration

Besides being annoying to others around you, grinding your teeth can have a negative impact on your health as well. Obviously, grinding is going to do damage to your teeth, restorations, and crowns, but it can also cause headaches and jaw pain. Knowing what remedies, you can use in how to stop grinding teeth can save you from this damage and these painful results.

We have 15 home remedies to assist you, but they are not all inclusive. In some cases, grinding teeth can only be stopped through consulting a health care professional and obtaining devices and treatments that cannot be accomplished at home.

How to Stop Grinding Teeth with 15 Home Remedies

1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C can assist you with one of the major factors in how to stop grinding teeth, which is to eliminate the stress and stressful stimuli that cause the issue. This powerhouse vitamin helps to play a role in making the neurotransmitter known as dopamine. Dopamine contributes to regulate mood and soften muscle movements.

What to do:

  • Vitamin C supplements are one way to help.
  • A better help is to include in your diet more foods that are rich in vitamin C.

lemons

2. Calcium and Magnesium

Another pair of essential nutrients necessary for how to stop grinding teeth are calcium and magnesium. Clenching, spasms, cramps, tension and other muscle problems tend to coincide with a deficiency of these minerals. Besides being very necessary for muscle function and nervous system health, these minerals help to support and strengthen your teeth as well.

What to do:

  • Make sure that you have 1,000 mg of calcium and 600 mg of magnesium in your diet daily.
  • If you use a supplement start with a ratio of 400 mg calcium and 200 mg magnesium and work your way up.
  • Consume foods that are rich in calcium;
  • Consume foods that are rich in magnesium;

3. Exercise

Since reducing stress is a major factor in how to stop grinding teeth, then regular exercise can be beneficial as well. Regular exercise improves circulation and immunity, which helps to strengthen your ability to cope with stressful situations without resorting to the habit of grinding your teeth.

After eating dinner, take a walk in the garden or engage in some other mild exercise to help relieve some of the tension and stress that may cause teeth grinding. Also, avoid taking stimulating substances like tea, coffee, or alcohol after dinner as they may worsen the problem.

What to do:

  • Take evening walks or ride a bike to help calm your nerves and encourage more restful sleep, especially if you are a nighttime teeth grinder.
  • Mild to moderate exercise a minimum of three times per week can significantly contribute to reduced stress levels.
  • Engage in physical activities and games that not only relax you but also get your blood pumping 2 to 3 times per week.

4. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises require a focused and conscious effort to assist you in how to stop grinding teeth. Oxygen helps to cleanse fatigued and stressed muscles which relax the tension in your body and helps you to reduce your stress level.

What to do:

  • Learn and practice deep breathing techniques.
  • The moment you become aware that you are grinding your teeth, stop and practice deep breathing before continuing with your regular daily activities.
  • If you grind your teeth while you sleep, deep breathing before bedtime can help eliminate your night time issue.

5. Lavender Essential Oil

Another useful remedy in how to stop grinding teeth comes from the use of lavender essential oil. Lavender is well known for the soothing effect it has on your nervous system. It induces relaxation and helps you sleep better.

What to do:

  • Add 3 or 4 drops of lavender essential oil to 1 Tsp of almond or coconut oil.
  • Massage the oil into your neck and jaw, particularly when the jawbone is hinged to the skull.
  • Repeat this once or twice during the day and right before going to bed.

6. Turmeric and Milk

Turmeric and milk are another successful remedies for how to stop grinding teeth. These two ingredients provide a one-two punch through the relaxation which comes from the amino acid tryptophan, found in milk, and the pain and inflammatory relief from the curcumin flavonoid in turmeric.

What to do:

  • Heat 1 cup of milk to boiling.
  • Stir in 1 tsp of turmeric powder until the milk becomes a creamy, mustard color.
  • Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Add in 1 Tbsp of honey and drink this before going to bed at night.

7. Chamomile and Melissa

Herbal teas can also produce relaxation for your body as well as a solution for how to stop grinding teeth. Chamomile, lemon balm (Melissa) are two of the best-known herbal teas to promote relaxation. Besides the soothing effects of the herbs, the warmth of the tea also helps to relax the facial muscles.

What to do:

  • Boil 1 cup of water and then let it stand for 3 minutes before pouring it into a mug over two tsp of whichever herb you choose.
  • Cover and steep the tea for another 3 minutes.
  • Strain the herbs from the tea, add honey if desired and drink.
  • Use this remedy anytime you are feeling stressed and before going to bed at night.

Natural Spa Treatment

 

8. Massage

Massage is another conscious and efficient way for how to stop grinding teeth. Getting a massage helps to increase circulation in tense muscles which cause them to relax. Massage can also contribute to relieve any pain associated with grinding your teeth.

What to do:

  • Prepare massage oil of 8 to 10 drops of lavender essential oil in 1 Tbsp of coconut or almond oil.
  • Use the above oil to massage the neck, shoulders, jaw, and cheeks in a circular motion.
  • Repeat this a couple of times a day and right before bedtime.

9. Valerian Root

Valerian root has natural muscle relaxant properties that help to reduce stress and encourage mood improvement. Helping you to relax with essential oil from valerian root or valerian root tea is another successful remedy in how to stop grinding teeth.

What to do:

  • Use valerian root essential oil in your massage oil mixture along with or in place of lavender oil.
  • Prepare an herbal tea from valerian root to consume 2 to 3 times daily to control stress.

10. Warm Compress

A warm compress applied to the jaw area is another technique for how to stop grinding teeth. Heat helps to relax the muscles in your jaw and cheeks as well as easing any pain caused by rubbing.

What to do:

  • Soak a clean washcloth in hot water.
  • Wring out any excess water.
  • Press and hold the moist washcloth to the place where you jaw hinges to your skull.
  • Repeat on each side during each session.
  • Repeat this as often as necessary to reduce tension and pain.

11. Avoid Heavy Alcohol Consumption

Avoiding alcohol is another essential element involved in how to stop grinding teeth. Alcohol consumption, especially heavy drinking, tends to increase teeth grinding. It is very common for teeth grinding to occur during sleep after excessive alcohol consumption.

What to do:

  • Limit alcohol consumption by alternating with a glass of water between each alcoholic drink to avoid heavy use.

12. Eliminate Stimulants

If you want to gain control over your habit, the elimination of stimulants is one of the best remedies for how to stop grinding teeth. Caffeine and nicotine are the two most common stimulants when it comes to worsening the effects of stress.

What to do:

  • If you have become a chronic teeth grinder, it might be the proper motivation to help you quit smoking.
  • Replace high caffeine coffee and energy drinks with decaffeinated alternatives or teas with a much lower caffeine content.

13. Drink More Water

Believe it or not, drinking more water is one of the simplest and most effective remedies for how to stop grinding teeth. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways of reducing stress and regulating optimal nerve function.

What to do:

  • Try to consume between 8 and ten twelve-ounce glasses of water daily.
  • Keep a bottle or glass of water within easy reach throughout the day to encourage drinking.
  • Combine water with some lemon juice to get a lemon water detox. Two remedies in one!

14. Stress Management

Managing stress through deep breathing, yoga, meditation, prayer or some other means can contribute significantly in how to stop grinding teeth. A balanced diet, exercise and a conscious effort to reduce your stress level can reduce the tension that tends to cause teeth grinding.

What to do:

  • Find relaxation techniques which work for you and utilize them whenever you realize that you are grinding your teeth.
  • Take on a lifestyle with less stress by eating right, exercising and involving yourself in activities which reduce stress.

stressed man at work

15. B Vitamins

Like vitamin C and magnesium, the role of the B vitamins in our overall health and wellness is well-documented and can help in how to stop grinding teeth. A deficiency of any one of the B vitamins may cause psychological stress, depression, and anxiety. Supplementing your diet with B vitamins or consuming foods rich in B vitamins, especially VitaminB5 (pantothenic acid) can help restore proper mood balance.

What to do:

Conclusion

Grinding your teeth can do lots of damage and cause a lot of pain as well. Knowing how to stop grinding teeth requires a combination of dietary and lifestyle changes which aim at reducing stress and promoting a healthier and happier mindset. Make use of one or more of the remedies in our list above and gain control of teeth grinding before it becomes a severe problem. For questions and comments regarding teeth grinding remedies, feel free to comment below.

Images from depositphotos.com.