“Thirty-five million Americans are bothered by the discomfort of temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders(TMJDs),also called “TMJ.” This group of poorly understood conditions causes pain and limited movement of the jaw.”
Read more here:
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11867539
They also offer some tips to alleviate the jaw pain that is associated with TMJ, including eating soft foods, not chewing gum, and applying a compress.
According to the Mayo Clinic.com another term for bruxism is gnashing. Bruxism can happen subconsciously and is different from clenching and grinding. “Sleep Bruxism” occurs more often in children while adults tend to grind both day and night. This condition may not require treatment for some but for some it can lead to headaches, jaw disorders, damage to the teeth, etc. The problem is that most people are unaware they have Bruxism until complications occur.
The following are symptoms of Bruxism:
– clenching or grinding; could be loud enough to hear
– wearing of tooth enamel, sensitivity, or exposure of the inside of the tooth
– jaw pain, headaches, chronic facial pain or earaches
– chewing on the inside of the cheeks
Source: http://www.mayclinic.com/health/bruxism/DS00337
The SleepRight®’s articulating bitepads, made of a resilient hybrid material, slip comfortably between your teeth and are designed to re-establish your natural freeway space. While the SleepRight® protects teeth from clenching and grinding, we emphasize and strongly encourage our customers to concentrate on, “lips together, teeth apart” to initiate the muscle relaxation learning process.
