Stop Clenching and Grinding Your Teeth

Description

Managing Bruxism with Dr Mike Gow

This MP3 recording is specifically designed to help reduce stress, aid relaxation and better sleep and reduce bruxism.

Bruxism is the involuntary, unconscious habit of grinding, clenching, or tapping the teeth. It can occur while you are awake or asleep. It affects up to 20% of adults, 80% of whom are unaware that they are doing it. Some people are told about it by someone who has heard it happening while they sleep. Others are told by their dentist who can see signs such as teeth wearing, chipping/cracking, or that teeth are becoming loose or more sensitive.

Some people will experience symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches (especially at the temples), migraines, painful/enlarged/stiff jaw muscles, earache, tinnitus, and other pains in the neck, shoulders, back etc. Obviously, all of these signs and symptoms can have other causal factors and so it is important that a full assessment is carried out by a dentist and/or doctor before bruxism can be diagnosed.

Bruxism may be a risk factor in developing, or the worsening of TMD (Temperomandibular Joint Dysfunction) which can cause painful, clicking or locking of the jaw joint. There are several things that can cause bruxism. Again, this should be properly assessed by a dentist or doctor.

As smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, caffeine, excessive use of chewing gum, and poor diet all may be implicated, you may wish to consider relevant lifestyle changes to give yourself the best chance of successfully overcoming bruxism and its associated problems.

Studies have proven that there is a link between bruxism and sleep disorders and problems with stress. While this recording is designed to help improve your sleep and help you manage stress, it is important that you discuss any concerns you have about sleep and stress with your medical doctor. Your doctor or dentist may also recommend other techniques which may help manage bruxism and associated symptoms, for example a custom fitted splint that fits to your teeth.

Diagnosis and treatment should be sought from your dentist and/or doctor

This recording is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18 or with any diagnosed or suspected mood disorder or mental health illness.

This recording can be used as you fall asleep in bed. Many people find that they drift off during the session. This is common, and you can be reassured that it will still be having an effect. If you would prefer to or need to be fully awake at the end of the session, set an alarm in advance for approximately 70 minutes.

The recording should only be used when it is completely safe to do so. You must be able to give it your entire attention and it must only be listened to when it is safe to close your eyes.

Once you have purchased this item, you will be sent a link to download two MP3s. Please listen to the ‘introduction’ track at least once prior to using the full session.

The recorded audio MP3 session includes:

Clenched fist/coloured breathing- Learn how to get rid of unwanted thoughts and feelings using quick and simple techniques.

Deep Relaxation- Experience physical and mental deep relaxation to help reduce stress, achieve refreshing sleep and to keep the teeth apart when they should be!

Anchoring- Learn how to quickly access positive thoughts and feelings. Learn how to tap into this mindset to help you feel more CALM, in CONTROL, more CONFIDENT and better able to COPE. The ability to do this will then be literally at your fingertips at any time, wherever you are.

Dr Mike Gow MFDS RCPS (Gla) BDS (Gla) MSc Hyp (Lon) PGCert (Edin)  

Mike Gow is a dentist at The Berkeley Clinic in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He graduated from The University of Glasgow’s Dental School and gained his Masters in Hypnosis from The University College London, having completed his dissertation on the topic of hypnosis in managing sleep bruxism. He has a Postgraduate Certificate in the Management of Dental Anxiety from the University of Edinburgh. Mike has been the President of The British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis (Scotland) and is the founder of The International Society of Dental Anxiety Management. Mike has also trained in NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and took a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy module at Kings College London. Mike has demonstrated hypnosis on TV, appearing in More4’s ‘Hypnosurgery Live’, BBC3’s ‘Exposed…persauders’, BBC2’s ‘Alternative Therapies’ and BBC2’s ‘Horizon’ documentaries as well as having several live radio interviews.