Teeth can cause horrific pain between toothaches, wisdom teeth and the jaw pain that results from painful teeth grinding.
If you've experienced bruxism, the technical term for teeth grinding, you'll know that it can cause severe head, jaw and mouth pain.
Typically, teeth grinding occurs at night when you're asleep so half the time you won't even know what's causing this horrific pain.
If you're waking up with unexplained jaw pain and suffering from frequent headaches, then you might want to consult your dentist for bruxism can damage your teeth if left untreated.
Dr. Gerry Curatola, who's based in New York, recently spoke to
Byrdie and gave his three top tips for anyone affected by bruxism.
He says that caffeine can worsen the problem and said that drinking caffeine is like putting gasoline on the fire for teeth grinding". Yikes.
Alcohol can also worsen the problem so Curatola says you should drink more water throughout the day because hydration will help lessen stress and reduce teeth grinding.
Going to the dentist can be stressful
The root of the problem (excuse the pun) can be linked to a number of things including stress, sleep disorders and problems with your 'bite' and jaw alignment.
If the problem is bad enough, your dentist will need to fit you with a mouthguard but this expert says that there are a few steps you can take yourself at home.
"Practice stress reduction techniques and jaw relaxation exercises throughout the day and especially before bed.
"Application of a warm wet washcloth is very soothing to alleviate pain from grinding. Massaging jaw muscles, neck and face muscles helps to relax the jaw".
