Women Who Empower

Ani Papazyan Guest Columnist

What does my dental to do with the pain health have in my neck?

Did you know that since the pandemic started dentists have seen a rise in jaw clenching &

grinding? This is a very common habit with about 45%

of dental patients clenching their jaws while they sleep. Out of this group, 22% more women clench their jaws than men. There are a few main reasons that this affects more women than men. Some of the triggers for this condition are stress and anxiety or lack of sleep. In addition, women experience this problem as a result of hormonal changes.

The consequences of this are not only excessive wear on your teeth and dental work but a list of other secondary symptoms.

Okay, so what about your neck pain?

Probably, the number one secondary symptom related to these dental habits is neck and shoulder pain. You might also experience headaches, earaches, and the obvious one, jaw pain.

According to an article in, The National Library of Medicine, Scientific research has shown that due to hormonal fluctuations women are more likely to experience teeth grinding and clenching when they are premenstrual or postmenstrual. The hormones estrogen and progesterone have been found to be associated with both habits along with the symptoms that we are all more familiar with, irritability and mood swings. |

“Pain is inevitable, suffering is ~ Haruki optional” Murakami

There are so many new things we’ve had to deal with the past couple of years. Now, this?

The good news is, now you know the symptoms and their cause, let's look at what you can do to get some relief!

Let’s start with addressing your hormones. The symptoms of PMS and PMDD are different for every woman. The only way to know what you will experience is to experience it. However, you can take steps to make sure your symptoms are as minimal as possible.

It’s important to keep in mind that not all women experience the same symptoms, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s how some women have found relief from their pre and post-menstrual symptoms.

Eat a well-balanced diet: healthy protein, plenty of fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed foods, sugar, and caffeinated drinks.

To reduce stress, get out and move your body! Regular exercise is key.

Add meditation or mindfulness practice. Even walking can be a moving meditation

Get plenty of sleep - Listen to a 15-minute guided sleep meditation to calm your nerves as you slip into a peaceful slumber.

Supplements and herbal compounds may help eliminate your symptoms. If you are under a doctor’s care and taking any medications, please consult your physician before starting any supplement or herbal regimen.

Over-the-counter pain medications can help the symptoms, but I encourage you to try some of the above suggestions first. Remember, these are lifestyle changes. You want to eliminate the cause of the symptoms, not just apply a temporary fix!

Next up…stress & chronic anxiety. I know, you’ve already been told by your family and friends that you need to relax, probably so much so that you’re tired of hearing it! It just makes you more stressed out.

While a little stress can be good for you, too much can lead to chronic pain. As this continues, it can lead to the tightening of your facial and jaw muscles, as well as cause dry mouth. Stress inhibits the natural production of saliva. Lower levels of saliva can lead to tooth decay and oral infections.

All of these, are side effects of your symptoms. Add to that, the potential side effects of stress-relieving medications.

So now you know the primary symptoms, let’s look at the lesser-known, secondary symptoms

. My patients are always surprised when I release their jaws and their neck pain is relieved!

So how Does Jaw Clenching and Grinding Contribute To Neck Pain?

Jaw clenching and grinding can contribute to neck pain due to the muscles being overworked. It can also lead to headaches, muscle spasms, and increased sensitivity in the jaw and the muscles in and around the mouth. The muscles connected to the tongue will become significantly shortened due to repeated clenching or grinding of the teeth. This overuse can lead to several symptoms such as a sore jaw, neck and shoulder pain.

Over time, the muscular contractions from grinding your teeth may lead to long-term muscle tension and inflammation in your neck. If you grind your teeth at night, you may notice morning headaches or a stiff neck.

Besides the muscles of mastication, these are some of the neck muscles that get affected by clenching & grinding:

Sternocleidomastoid, Levator Scapulae, Trapezius, and Splenius Capitis

Let’s look further into some solutions and treatments

Now let us get into what steps can you take to help you ease and or eliminate your neck pain due to jaw clenching and grinding. The following steps are more commonly known.

Physical therapy: This is one of the most common treatments your doctor or dentist may recommend. It relieves pain and muscle tension by stretching, massaging, and strengthening the muscles in your face, neck, and shoulders.

Splint: A splint can help reduce symptoms by holding your mouth open and keeping your jaw in place while it heals from injury or spasms caused by clenching and grinding.

Nightguard: A night guard is a device you wear at night that gently discourages you from clenching and grinding your teeth.

Nerve block: This uses a local anesthetic to numb the jaw muscles to temporarily relieve pain and tension without surgery or other invasive treatment.

Botox: This drug temporarily relaxes the muscles in your face, neck, and jaw.

Tylenol: Tylenol is an over-the-counter pain reliever that will help with TMD, (Temporomandibular disorder), symptoms and also has antihistamine properties that can reduce dry mouth and relieve allergy-related symptoms

Natural approaches I suggest to my clients:

Get enough sleep every night, and consider using mouth tape, a product often recommended by Dentists. This is what I use every night Here are just some of the benefits of mouth taping:

✓It improves your sleep

✓Better oral health

✓No more snoring

✓Nose breathing increases nitric oxide production, and may help lower blood pressure

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms I’ve discussed, I hope that you now feel like there is something that you can do about them! Perhaps some simple self-care solutions will do the trick or a visit to your wellness or healthcare provider will start you on your way to living - happy, healthy, and pain-free!

Do breathing exercises to relieve stress. Try the 4-4-4 breathing technique: sit in a comfortable position, inhale through your nose count of four, hold your breath count of four, and exhale through your mouth count of four. Repeat 3 times

This technique (video) will help you relax the jaw muscles. Repeat as many times a day as you like for the best results

Website: https://laststop4pain.com/

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