Totally feel you on the enamel thing—my dentist gave me the same speech. Night guards are great, but I agree, stress relief is key. Tried meditation once...ended up mentally grocery shopping instead, lol. Warm tea and less screen time before bed works better for me.
Yeah, meditation never worked for me either—I just end up replaying awkward conversations from 2012, haha. But seriously, ignoring grinding isn't great...my kid cracked a tooth that way. Maybe try yoga or podcasts instead?
Totally agree with you on meditation—it's great for some, but if your brain's wired to replay cringe-worthy moments from years ago (guilty here too), it might not be the best fit. Yoga or podcasts sound like solid alternatives; anything that distracts your mind a bit can help ease tension and reduce grinding.
But just to add a bit more context from a dental perspective: ignoring teeth grinding (bruxism) can definitely lead to bigger issues down the road. Cracked teeth, like your kid experienced, are unfortunately pretty common. But even if you don't crack a tooth outright, long-term grinding can wear down enamel, cause sensitivity, and even lead to jaw pain or headaches. It's one of those sneaky issues that doesn't seem urgent until suddenly it is.
If you're noticing symptoms like jaw soreness in the morning or sensitive teeth, it might be worth looking into a custom night guard. They're honestly pretty comfortable once you get used to them, and they can save you from expensive dental work later on. Over-the-counter guards are okay as a temporary fix, but they don't always fit well and can sometimes make things worse by encouraging more clenching.
Also curious—has anyone here tried reducing caffeine or screen time before bed? I've had patients who've seen improvements just by tweaking their evening routines slightly. Would be interesting to hear if small lifestyle adjustments have helped anyone else manage their grinding habits.
Totally feel you on the meditation thing—my brain loves to replay embarrassing moments from like 2009 at the worst possible times, so sitting quietly with my thoughts is basically torture. Podcasts have been a lifesaver for me too, especially funny or storytelling ones that keep my mind occupied without stressing me out.
But yeah, teeth grinding is sneaky as heck. I ignored mine for years because it didn't seem like a big deal...until suddenly it was. Woke up one morning with jaw pain so bad I thought I'd been punched in my sleep (spoiler: I hadn't). Turns out I'd cracked a molar and needed a crown—ouch, both physically and financially.
I resisted the night guard thing for ages because honestly, who wants to sleep with a chunk of plastic in their mouth? But after the cracked tooth incident, I caved and got a custom one from my dentist. Took about a week to get used to it, but now it's second nature. Bonus: no more waking up feeling like I've been chewing rocks all night.
Cutting caffeine helped me too, but I'm not gonna lie—I still sneak in an afternoon coffee sometimes because life is short and deadlines are real. Reducing screen time before bed was harder (hello Netflix addiction), but even just swapping out scrolling for reading an actual book made a noticeable difference.
Anyway, you're definitely not alone in this struggle. Teeth grinding seems minor until suddenly you're staring at dental bills wondering why you didn't listen sooner (speaking from painful experience here). Small changes can help, but if you're already noticing symptoms like soreness or sensitivity, don't wait too long to get checked out. Trust me, your future self—and wallet—will thank you later.
Ugh, cracked molars are no joke. I ignored my grinding for ages too, thinking it was just stress or whatever. Then one day my dentist casually mentioned my teeth were starting to look "shorter"—like, excuse me? Apparently, I'd ground them down enough to affect their shape. Ended up getting veneers on a couple front teeth because they looked uneven and worn out. Not mad about the cosmetic upgrade (hello, shiny new smile), but my wallet definitely felt the pinch.
I tried the night guard thing briefly but kept waking up with it on my pillow instead of in my mouth...guess I'm a sleep rebel or something. Did anyone else have trouble keeping theirs in at first, or am I just weirdly resistant to dental accessories?
