Teeth grinding also known as bruxism is a medical condition in which a person unconsciously and involuntarily clenches and/or grinds his or her teeth anytime during the day or even during sleep, which is called “sleep bruxism”. Since people suffering from the disorder is usually unaware of their condition, people who are living or sleeping in the same room as the sufferer are usually the ones being able to observe that there is actually a teeth grinding problem. It is very important to treat the medical condition, since teeth grinding can cause several complications that can affect a person’s overall health.

Tongue Exercises for Teeth Grinding

There are several different types of exercises that can be done to treat or reduce teeth grinding episodes, such as mandibular exercises and tongue exercises. Just like in mandibular exercises (jaw exercises), tongue exercises are considered as physical therapy exercises that can help in restoring and improving balance and jaw function that will help in preventing jaw misalignment,  wearing down of teeth, headaches, temporomandibular joint pain, and other possible complications of teeth grinding.

Tongue Exercises for Teeth Grinding: Positioning Exercise

This type of tongue exercise is done to re-train both the tongue and the jaw to maintain in a new and better position. The positioning exercise is recommended to be done several times everyday to ensure the tongue is in the right position. Here is how to do the positioning exercise of the tongue:

1. Close your lips and slightly open your jaw comfortably inside your mouth.
2. Once your jaw is slightly and comfortably open, place your tongue on your hard palate (roof of the mouth).
3. Hold the position for several minutes, minimum of 3 minutes if possible.
4. Repeat exercise several times all throughout the day.

Tongue Exercises for Teeth Grinding: N Repetitions Exercise

This type of exercise is done to encourage the jaw and the tongue to be in the right and proper position and this exercise will also help in relieving tension in the mandibles or jaw muscles. Here is how to do the N Repetitions Exercise:

1. Slightly open your mouth (lips and upper & lower teeth). This position should be comfortable and the jaw should be in the neutral jaw position.
2. Place your tongue on the hard palate (roof of the mouth).
3. Produce the sound of the letter “N”. The louder the better.
4. Repeat this exercise as many times possible throughout the day.