u/ChallengeHungry4225

Hello, I currently have a problem with sleep bruxism and I created reddit solely for the purpose of coping with it. A few days ago I started midday feeling the pain in the joint and experiencing other related symptoms such as having an underbite, ear ache and headache. However, after a night's sleep the pain went completely away! Hence, I naturally thought that this had run its course and it wouldn't bother me again. My days went on until yesterday when I ate a refrigerated peach and my bottom front teeth were quite sensitive to the cold fruit. That was, of course, unexpected and it was only then when I noticed I still had an underbite... Or maybe, my upper teeth close exactly on top of my bottom ones and they are in contact. It all clicked and I rushed to the mirror to check whether my teeth were actually damaged and unfortunately they were. Not a lot, only slightly (you can still see the ridges-craze lines, but barely). It all made sense at that moment, the symptoms for some reason have subsided but the TMJ is still here. I know very well- as I am a medical student myself- that reddit does not substitute for any medical advice whatsoever. It is just that my bruxism is getting worse by the night and today is Sunday where I live. I do plan to make an appointment with a doctor tomorrow morning, first thing. Yet, that still leaves me with a night of possibly extensive damage to my teeth. That is the reason why I want to post on here, merely to find an extremely temporary solution/suggestion- more like a hack- to prevent my teeth from grinding together. It is truly an emergency and there are no state hospital emergency departments on call today that I could visit and get professional help. Additionally, I do have an appointment with my dentist already planned in 13 days and it is impossible to move it to a closer date... What should I tell the doctor and my dentist when I visit her? What should I do while sleeping? Put a shirt or a towel in my mouth? Sleep on my back? In all frankness, I am desperate. I don't drink or smoke or do use any other substance. Thank you very much in advance

Hello, I currently have a problem with sleep bruxism and I created reddit solely for the purpose of coping with it. A few days ago I started midday feeling the pain in the joint and experiencing other related symptoms such as having an underbite, ear ache and headache. However, after a night's sleep the pain went completely away! Hence, I naturally thought that this had run its course and it wouldn't bother me again. My days went on until yesterday when I ate a refrigerated peach and my bottom front teeth were quite sensitive to the cold fruit. That was, of course, unexpected and it was only then when I noticed I still had an underbite... Or maybe, my upper teeth close exactly on top of my bottom ones and they are in contact. It all clicked and I rushed to the mirror to check whether my teeth were actually damaged and unfortunately they were. Not a lot, only slightly (you can still see the ridges-craze lines, but barely). It all made sense at that moment, the symptoms for some reason have subsided but the TMJ is still here. I know very well- as I am a medical student myself- that reddit does not substitute for any medical advice whatsoever. It is just that my bruxism is getting worse by the night and today is Sunday where I live. I do plan to make an appointment with a doctor tomorrow morning, first thing. Yet, that still leaves me with a night of possibly extensive damage to my teeth. That is the reason why I want to post on here, merely to find an extremely temporary solution/suggestion- more like a hack- to prevent my teeth from grinding together. It is truly an emergency and there are no state hospital emergency departments on call today that I could visit and get professional help. Additionally, I do have an appointment with my dentist already planned in 13 days and it is impossible to move it to a closer date... What should I tell the doctor and my dentist when I visit her? What should I do while sleeping? Put a shirt or a towel in my mouth? Sleep on my back? In all frankness, I am desperate. Thank you very much in advance