quote:

to support the Mouth Cancer Foundation, you can now make online donations

quote:

'SPLINT OF AIR' instuctions:
(1) Keep your teeth apart and lips only lightly (or not) touching except for when you swallow! Your jaw is designed to hang loose just like your arms hang loose by your side when you are relaxed. Keeping teeth together (clenching) is a habit helped by mothers who tell their children to "don't look like an idiot, keep your mouths shut!"
Learn the "Resting Tongue Position":
Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth and make a 'cluck' sound. At the end of this action, the tip of your tongue should be in the same position that it assumes after swallowing - the correct mandibular rest position. After identifying this position, attempt to maintain it. (The anterior one-third of your tongue should make light contact against the roof of your mouth. Breathe through your nose and use your abdomen ('stomach') muscles for breathing.)
(2) Don't lean on your lower jaw while sitting or sleeping - it encourages clenching as your resists the pressure you place on it.
(3) Learn how to stop clenching/bruxing at night:
My patients have found the following technique helpful :

The Relaxation - Autosuggestion Method
===========================================
1. Lay down on your back with the palms of your hands on your abdomen.
2. Close your eyes and breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
2. As you breathe out slowly, feel yourself beginning to relax; feel the tension leaving your body.
3. Now breathe in and out slowly and regularly, at whatever rate is comfortable for you. You should feel your abdomen rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out. (abdominal breathing). Do this for a couple of minutes.
4. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, "ONE", silently to yourself. Breathe easily and naturally.
5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm.
6. End with a slow deep breath. As you breathe out say to yourself "I feel relaxed."
7. Tell yourself, "I will get a good night's sleep". "I will not clench on my teeth because I don't want to have wear away my teeth (and/or have an aching jaw.)"

Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "ONE." With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within 2 hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response.
- The Relaxation Response, Herbert Benson, M.D.
===========================================

===============How it works===============
Your mind is suggestible when it is in a relaxed state.
Your self-hypnotic suggestion will cause your subconscious mind to monitor any clenching and biting activity at night. When clenching is detected you will wake up alerted to the undesired behaviour. Once awake, you will relax your muscles and stop clenching on your teeth.

You will soon learn to stop clenching and have uninterrupted sleep. The sleeping brain is capable of responding to the clenching and modifying ingrained patterns of behaviour. After the first couple of days you will seldom awaken because your response will be so quick you will not be awakened. Patients report better sleep, and being more rested while using this method to control clenching.

This night-time retraining carries over into the day. You will catch yourself and be able to control any daytime clenching habit. When clenching is stopped the muscles relax, the joints are off loaded, and symptoms of TMJ (if you have them)go away as the joint and muscles are allowed to heal, teeth stop wearing away and crowns stop breaking! Also stop other oral habits that put a strain on the jaw muscles like: chewing gum, biting your nails, nibbling your lip/cheek, leaning on your jaw during the day or night while sleeping.

This method is safe & effective, non-invasive and reversible, and free . It is easy to use and low cost. You will need to practice the method nightly for 6-8 weeks. Treatment length will vary between patients. Factors that affect treatment length include how long you have had your problem and how quickly you respond to behaviour modification.

Consistent nightly practice will promote rapid treatment progress. Skipping nights will slow your progress .

quote:

to support the Mouth Cancer Foundation, you can now make online donations