Being fitted for a mouth guard/night guard will help protect your teeth from the effects of grinding while you sleep. However, in order to cease grinding completely, it’s important to treat the triggers for why you grind your teeth.

If stress is causing your bruxism, ask your doctor or dentist about stress reduction techniques and options. Exercise, stress counseling, or prescription muscle relaxers may help reduce how often or severely you grind your teeth.

Other tips to help reduce bruxism include:

Cut back or eliminate foods that contain caffeine from your diet. This includes coffee, soda, tea, and chocolate.

Avoid alcohol. Alcohol tends to increase the severity and frequency of bruxism.

Don’t chew on anything that is not food. This includes gum, pencils or pens. Constantly chewing conditions your jaw muscles to stay clenched and makes you more likely to grind your teeth.

Pay attention to your mouth. If you notice that you grind or clench your teeth during the day, train yourself to relax. Position the tip of your tongue between your front teeth to make it harder to clench or grind your teeth.

Relax your jaw before bed. Using a warm washcloth on the face at night will help relax the jaw prior to sleep. Position it on your cheek in front of your earlobe to get maximum results.