clenching teeth, biting tongue

[JenniferJuniper]

I was diagnosed with OSA after an oral surgeon noted that this could be the reason my teeth were cracking. I've been on CPAP for over ten years now, but the clenching of my teeth has never gone away. As a result, I've had to wear a bite guard + use CPAP. Lately I've been waking up with horrible headaches and with my tongue so swollen that I lisp when I talk. I often wake up in the night with both hands clenched into fists. I stopped using the bite guard two nights ago and the headaches went away. But my tongue is a mess on both sides and the pain of chomping on it (with or without the bite guard) is definitely interrupting my sleep. Does anybody else have this issue? I don't see any way to solve it, so I'm kind of despondent. Do I talk to a dentist again (we just discussed this a couple months ago)...or a neurologist...or a sleep doctor?

Edited to say: I have another thread going about reading my OSCAR data--should I put this in that thread or leave it on its own here?

[BoxcarPete]

It's kind of a separate issue, I experience it too. I judge how good of a night's sleep I got mostly based on how much my teeth hurt in the morning. I should probably do something about it before I have any major issues like you went through ten years ago. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I would also like to know if anyone has found something that helps on this front.

[JenniferJuniper]

Wearing the bite guard at night has helped keep my teeth from cracking as badly, although I had to have one tooth extracted a year or two ago, despite the bite guard. My understanding is that the bite guard does its best to protect your teeth, but it obviously can't stop your jaw clenching or grinding. I'm used to that, but chomping my tongue until it swells up is a whole new misery.

[SarcasticDave94]

I cannot say this is related, but maybe. I have but my tongue in my sleep before when Apnea was untreated. This would be the not recent untreated phase, but before getting serious about Apnea therapy in early 2017.

The question is for you to decide, you'll need to decide if your therapy is working well or not? What can you change, and what are you willing to change can be two different things. There's other threads of yours that don't seem to follow through to correction it completion as best as I recall.

[JenniferJuniper]

There's other threads of yours that don't seem to follow through to correction it completion as best as I recall.

Hmm, not sure what you mean by this. Whenever I have asked for help, I have made adjustments as suggested and things have improved. But new issues crop up eventually, or old issues return. Have you suggested something to me in a previous thread that I've refused to try or change?

[UnicornRider]

I too have experienced Bruxism, I started taking Magnesium supplements on the recommendation of my dentist, it is supposed to aid in relaxation and reducing stress response.

I know after about a week I just felt more relaxed, less stressed throughout the day.

It may be placebo effect, but if a placebo works

[JenniferJuniper]

I started taking Magnesium supplements 

When I first started having sleep issues, the doctors told me it was anxiety. They put me on a benzo, of all things, to take at bedtime. That was probably the worst thing you could give someone with undiagnosed sleep apnea! But since I didn't have the signs that usually indicate a risk factor for OSA, nobody but the oral surgeon was able to figure out what was going on, and he referred me for a sleep study. Other than that med, I've also tried Clonidine, which apparently helps a lot of people with bruxism. Not me! I'll give magnesium a shot!

[HalfAsleep]

I have a history of grinding my teeth. A bite guard actually BROKE my 2 front teeth (I bit down that hard and they crumbled).

A few notions:
--bite guard design has changed over the last few years. You might find one that doesn't give you headaches.
--are you getting dry mouth? That might make your tongue swell.
--over the years, the shape of your cheeks may have changed slightly, and your current mask is now causing bruxism. I know this from experiencing jaw issues (which prompt grinding) from the straps of full face masks, because they pull the jaw back. IMO I could potentially end up with mouth issues in the long term from the upper straps, too. Have you tried swapping out your mask for a few nights?
--you might have worn down some cartilage in your jaw joint...ahem, age will do this
--our teeth get shorter. This leaves less room for the tongue. You might have needed the height from the bite guard, so there's room in your mouth.


IMO your Oscar charts may also give insight on these issues. You could be having a struggle you don't know about.

[SarcasticDave94]

My apology, it seems I'm mixing up your data with another about not seeming to follow thru.

[Deborah K.]

Yes, magnesium supplements help with sleep and lots of other things.  I bet they would help with your bruxism.  I pray that they will help!