Can CBD help stop teeth grinding at night?

March 20, 2023 11:33 AM

I'm having a serious problem with teeth grinding at night right now. I'm in so much pain. I even have a nightguard, I'm surprised it hasn't been destroyed yet. A lot of this is due to job stress which I can't do much about right now. I'm so desperate I'm willing to explore CBD stuff (which I mentally associate with spam emails). YANMD, but would gummies help in a situation like this? How do I safely get started?
posted by Mushroom12345 to Health & Fitness (13 answers total)

I can only speak anecdotally, as a fellow bruxism sufferer - but no, they never helped me. The only things that have helped me are exercise, getting adequate sleep, stretching exercises, massage and benzodiazapines. cbd did nothing, thc sometimes makes it worse.

not that you shouldnt try. there really isnt much of a risk afaik, i would try some googling to find a reputable manufacturer and give it a shot.
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 11:37 AM on March 20, 2023

I agree with AlbertCalavicci that it's worth a shot, but don't expect miracles. I suffered from terrible bruxism for a decade before I was finally cured with an advanced splint therapy that involved wearing a rigid acrylic splint (as opposed to the chewy plasticy kind) that was adjusted every 2 weeks over 18 months to correct my bite. You're welcome to MeMail me for more info.
posted by mezzanayne at 11:46 AM on March 20, 2023

I wonder if it wouldn't be helpful to you to explore relaxation/deep breathing/meditation techniques. Doing this kind of thing before going to bed can make it much easier to get restful sleep.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:48 AM on March 20, 2023

CBD has helped me be less anxious and sleep more soundly. It's worth a small trial run to see if that helps your teeth grinding imo.
posted by schyler523 at 12:27 PM on March 20, 2023

All right, if you do decide to explore CBD, do this cannabis educator a favour and get your products from a company that does lab testing. It's still the Wild West in the US for CBD, and a lot of the products you see on shelves either do not have the CBD potency they say do, or they may have something else altogether. (Third party lab testing! Make sure you get what you are paying for!)

Aside from that: CBD is a mood booster. And though it won't get you high, I still endorse the go low and slow method for products. You're looking for your sweet spot with CBD in regards to sleep--and I am of the opinion that I don't know if it will help your bruxism, but it may relax you enough and assist with the stress--so track your dosage until you find it. But the main takeaway is: get your CBD from a reliable source. It's not a miracle drug, but just another tool in the toolbox.
posted by Kitteh at 1:08 PM on March 20, 2023

Good CBD has helped me some with this, and seems to work best in a relaxation buffet along with magnesium/zinc and B Complex, all of which have muscle relaxation effects. I suggest 90min before bed because magnesium stimulates the bowels and you want to get all that done before you get in bed probably.

I use Milk Barn Farm's products because I know who makes it and trust their testing. My elderly mother also uses their products. They have a lovely salve that I also rub into my jaw (and most of my other joints, everyone in my family swears by it) but if you want to not make that kind of spend just yet I would suggest getting their tincture and doing both oral and topical trials (it massages in pretty well but I suggest you give yourself a few minutes before putting your face on your sheets - I actually use it ON acne and rosacea and have had no problem with reactions).

When you're doing topical tests, you might also apply to your neck and shoulders because for me the teeth-grinding is part of an entire system involving hunched shoulders and tucked chin. To that end, you might add some bedtime upper body stretches (youtube has ton of yoga and physical therapy channels with this kind of content) to your overall bedtime routine to make sure you're going to bed as loose as possible.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:20 PM on March 20, 2023

I remember seeing a billboard that said one of the things you're supposed to care about is whether there's mold in your CBD. Probably this is addressed by Kitteh above.
posted by aniola at 3:33 PM on March 20, 2023

I haven't found CBD super helpful for relaxation at night, for whatever reason. I get the good stuff, too- we are in a legal cannabis state. Got rid of my bruxism with Vitamin D supplements.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:25 PM on March 20, 2023

What has really worked for me is botox. Seriously. My migraine neurologist does botox injections to prevent migraines. This is not uncommon! My medical insurance pays for it, $1200 every three months, having made us jump through a number of silly hoops first. He injects it into the muscles that are involved in tooth-grinding, to weaken them a bit and make them less likely to insist on contracting so much while I sleep.

When I get a migraine it makes me grind my teeth, and when I grind my teeth it makes me get a migraine, so I was in an awful cycle there of frequent migraines. I was getting two migraines a week, often lasting three days each, not the super-intensely painful type but still disruptive and quite unpleasant. (I think the minimum for medical insurance to agree to pay is over twelve headache days a month.)

My dentist tried the botox first, for bruxism, $600 not covered by my dental insurance, but she didn't inject enough, so it had no effect. Probably injected half as much, hence the price difference.
posted by metonym at 6:21 PM on March 20, 2023

I'm so desperate I'm willing to explore CBD stuff

not CBD, but to your point of desperation and pain: fellow hard core teeth grinder here (i’ve chipped teeth and temporarily lost hearing). i spent years using over-the-counter mouthguards that did not work for me. finally turned to a dentist and found a different type of mouthguard that prevents clenching.

it is a splint type mouthguard. i cannot for the life of me find an image online to confirm, but i think my dentist said mine is in the NTI family of mouthguards. it’s a custom acrylic moulded to the upper gumline with only a small bite piece in between my front teeth. the bite piece keeps my teeth apart and prevents the clenching stress that causes so much pain— you just can’t apply the same force through your front teeth.

this has been pretty life changing for me, so wanted to share in case it could help. here are some slightly yuck photos of my mouthguard for reference; it was custom made via my dentist. from the top, and from the side, i’ve circled the bite piece area . good luck to you!
posted by tamarack at 9:50 PM on March 20, 2023

er, and in case those links above didn’t work- https://imgur.com/a/EuhYO3l and https://imgur.com/a/SKA7Rq8
posted by tamarack at 10:03 PM on March 20, 2023

Also Not CBD but I know a grindcare machine can help if it’s severe it might be worth it.
posted by pairofshades at 11:50 AM on March 21, 2023

Seconding Botox. I got it done every 4 months for a year and trained myself out of grinding entirely. I paid out of pocket and went to an aesthetician so it was much less expensive, but lots of insurance carriers will cover it.
posted by ananci at 4:16 PM on March 21, 2023