[hermitbydestiny]

Since childhood, I have awakened in the morning with outer ear pain and chalked it up to sleeping on my ear wrong. As an adult, I finally figured it out: teeth grinding while I sleep. Sure enough, my dentist told me how the ear muscles get so worn out (not to mention teeth!) that the pain feels like the ear has been folded in half and laid on.

He made me a retainer to wear at night. Comfortable and affordable ($150). The worst part about it was having to sit for about 5 minutes with the goop in my mouth until it formed a cast. The rest has been easy peasy. Hoping this information helps someone else. Wearing down your teeth is not good either.

I have a night guard as well but mine was $600 Canadian. I used to work in dental so it made sense for me. I had been grinding my fillings right out.

Yes—I just got a night guard. I cracked a molar, which the dentist said was caused by me grinding my teeth!

She sent me for an evaluation for a root canal. Fortunately I don’t need it for the cracked tooth, but he said the same thing. He could see that I grind my teeth in my sleep (I don’t do this during the day).

I’m not surprised, since I have night terrors.

[Butterfly420]

Lately, I have been but I never used to. This has been happening for about a month.

[MoxieDoxie]

I remember my sister throwing pillows at me as a child because I was grinding. I have bone loss and gum issues on the side I grind. Had many night guards through the years.

[hermitbydestiny]

Thanks everyone for your posts. No matter what the age, it happens and doesn't seem to go away (even though I no longer have nightmares). I've tried on occasion to go without the retainer just to see if I've 'healed' and my 'ears' (temple and jaw soreness too) let me know in the night that I need assistance again (and always) in that area...making me very thankful for the thing!

[InMyEyes]

Can you all keep your night guards in? I unknowingly spit mine out and grind away...and my young son is a grinder too

[hermitbydestiny]

InMyEyes, it is easy to keep my retainer in because it is custom made to fit my teeth. Our dentist changed $150 for a top and bottom retainer (very inexpensive), but another post said they paid $600. Even with a retainer, I sometimes wake myself up with grinding, but at least I don't have the pain and wear and tear, thanks to this device.

I no longer have flashbacks or even bad dreams, so it's safe to say that grinding is something I cannot control so in that respect it is 'my normal.' It never dawned on me when I was younger to check this out with a dentist and because I have very healthy, genetically strong teeth, it didn't wear down the teeth and become evident until I was older.

[hermitbydestiny]

MoxieDoxie, I know what you mean in feeling rotten from the inside out. Emotionally unsafe homes pump chemical reactions into us that hurt our body from the inside out due to the overload. The good part about it is that the chemicals saved us from dying from and in the fearful situations (fight/flight/freeze).

My lifetime journey work has been decided for me: I can try to dilute this inner overdose of cortisol now that I know what is going on or die in the continued fear within myself and around others. Continually finding the balance is a chore sometimes, but what is the alternative? So, I meditate, exercise daily, eat healthy, socialize some, and study the neuroscience in how to have and enjoy a new way of life. And wear my night retainer! (And not have further contact with my core family, namely my sisters now that our parents are dead. I wish them well, as I do for myself given our early 'put down' upbringing.)

[leomama]

Originally Posted by hermitbydestiny

Since childhood, I have awakened in the morning with outer ear pain and chalked it up to sleeping on my ear wrong. As an adult, I finally figured it out: teeth grinding while I sleep. Sure enough, my dentist told me how the ear muscles get so worn out (not to mention teeth!) that the pain feels like the ear has been folded in half and laid on.


He made me a retainer to wear at night. Comfortable and affordable ($150). The worst part about it was having to sit for about 5 minutes with the goop in my mouth until it formed a cast. The rest has been easy peasy. Hoping this information helps someone else. Wearing down your teeth is not good either.

Yep got one, Mom has one, so does daughter.

[sonjaward809]

I grind my teeth a lot, even during the day. I'll catch myself all tensed up too, even when I'm alone. I wore a mouth guard for a few months and have broken a few teeth from the grinding but I lost it when I moved. So I'm looking into getting a new one.

[FallDuskTrain]

I do and i do it a lot.
It is easier to control during the day but very difficult while sleeping. I always have horrible pain jaw ache because of it.

[leomama]

Get a mouth guard

[Wren_]

Yes ... which also led to major jaw issues and lots of dental work. I had a splint made for night use but hated using it, lost it and haven't tried anything again (yet)