After searching long and far in the ocean depths, we have finally narrowed down the best pillows for teeth grinders.
Top Recommendation
PureComfort: Side Sleeping Pillow (Soft)
Pros
This is the GOAT pillow – highly recommended for those that grind their teeth and/or have TMJ.
This pillow looks unconventional because there are holes for your ears (a major plus for those that like to sleep on their side).
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- Unlike traditional pillows, your ear will not be flattened when you are laying on your side.
- This should work to stop any ear pain, as well as any jaw and neck pain
It is made with non-toxic ingredients, with very soft fabric.
A great company that stands behind the pillow:
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- We expect them to contact you after your purchase to make sure you are satisfied with this pillow and if you have any follow-up questions for them. Exceptional customer service!
Cons
Now, being that we listed the pros, we would like to be fully transparent and highlight some of the cons.
A few people have said that this pillow is too soft and does not offer enough support for their needs. Well, you would be happy to know that the company also offers a firmer version, linked here. In this post, we recommended the softer version since more people are more than satisfied with the soft version.
This pillow may be too small for some people’s preferences. If you like large pillows that take up your entire bed, this may not be the right choice for you.
SleepRight: Splintek Side Sleeping Memory Foam Pillow
Gotta put this out here immediately: you need to choose the right size for this pillow. Most of the negative reviews were from people who had not chosen the right size.
Sizing Guide
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- Small for 5’4″ (162 cm) and shorter
- Medium for 5’4″ (162 cm) to 5’10” (178 cm)
- Large for 5’10” (178 cm) and taller
Pros
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- This pillow does the job. It is designed to stop your teeth from grinding.
- This pillow is tall. This is also mentioned in the cons section below since there may be side effects for some people. However, an adequately tall pillow is what is needed to give you the neck and jaw support to get rid of teeth grinding, TMJ, and bruxism. Its not like you lose circulation from this tall pillow.
- Firm, dense, heavy pillow is great for destroying teeth grinding. However, may take some getting used to. This will come down to personal preference.
- Good for side sleepers
- Has airway systems to maximizes airflow/improves breathing
- Reduces shoulder tension and relieves neck pain for some
Cons
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- Most common complaint is that the pillow is very tall. This may result in back and neck pain for back sleepers especially.
- May experience more issues if you are primarily a back sleeper
- More expensive than the Pure Comfort pillow listed above, but the premium quality may be worth it, depending on how severe your teeth grinding is
- A larger and denser pillow had positives listed above. However, this also means that people who prefer softer pillows will have a hard time getting used to this.
Bruxism Symptoms (according to Wikipedia)
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- Attrition (gradual wearing away) of teeth
- Tooth fractures / Increased tooth pain
- Extremely sensitive teeth
- Teeth clenching during your sleep
Differences between Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD, TMJD) and Bruxism
Symptoms are actually very similar to the TMJ disorder.
However, there are differences:
The relationship of bruxism with TMD is highly debated even though many symptoms overlap. Many suggest that sleep bruxism can contribute to further TMD symptoms developments down the road.
Others suggest that there is no strong correlation between TMD and bruxism. Many people grind their teeth but do not develop TMD. However, it does not mean that bruxism does not generate symptoms.
Bruxism Causes
Sleep bruxism is harder to control because it is more involuntary and operates on a subconscious level.
Awake bruxism, on the other hand, may be linked to high stress and anxiety levels, as well as side effects from medication. However, there has also been studies that showed that children with sleep bruxism have greater levels of anxiety than other children.
Genetics may also be a factor: 20–50% of people with sleep bruxism have a direct family member who had sleep bruxism during childhood.
According to SleepScience, similar to how sometimes we twitch involuntarily during sleep, we also may have facial spasms.
Crooked teeth also could result in clenching.
If I don’t feel any pain, do I need to take a closer look at this condition?
Short answer is yes.
Teeth grinding slowly eats away at the outer protective layer of your teeth. The disappearance of the outer protective layer of your teeth means that bacteria, germs, and viruses can more readily attack your teeth and gums.
Once that is gone, you may start seeing fractures in your teeth.
Major Key:
The fractures are deceiving because they may look like cavities. Get your dentist to look at your teeth more carefully if you do know you grind your teeth during the day or night.
Other Potential Treatments
Custom Mouth Guards for Teeth Grinding (Our Recommendation)
Mouth guards and splints even out the pressure across the jaw and create a physical barrier between the upper and lower teeth to protect them from further damage.
They can also reduce any grinding noises you may make at night.
The mouth guards that dentists provide can sometimes cost anywhere from $300-500 for a pair (depending on your insurance).
The one we have linked above is the cheapest, high quality customizable mouth guard that can be made for your teeth. We have detailed the cheaper and more expensive versions below as well:
Cheap, Non-Customizable Ones
There are also ultra cheap ones you can get at Walmart. What makes them so cheap is that they are one-size-fits-all. Since the teeth are customly-made to your individual mouth, we can’t guarantee that it is as comfortable or as durable as the $100 ones, since it costs around 90% less. However, don’t get us wrong, some people have even been satisfied with the $0.99 cent football mouth guards that Walmart sells. Some on the bogleheads forums have recommended this budget pick.
Premium, Customizable Tier: Pro Teeth Guard
This brand lists its product on Amazon and tries to emulate dentist brands for $200 instead of $500. (positive reviews that you can read here)
Process: The company first sends you a provided putty to make a mold of your teeth and ship back. Then, they send you a night guard based on that mold. If the night guard is uncomfortable, send it back along with another mold of your teeth. The company is more than happy to repeat this process as many times as needed to create a comfortable and satisfactory night guard for your teeth.
Excellent customer service, prompt replies to emails, and quick turnaround of the mouth guard molds.
Action Steps to Reduce Teeth Grinding
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- Cut back on caffeinated foods/drinks, such as coffee, chocolate, coca cola
- Cut back on alcohol
- Drink more water – dehydration has been linked to teeth grinding as well
- Decrease chewing on objects. Two of the most common objects that people chew on are nails and pens/pencils
- Instead of clenching, try to consciously position your tongue in between your teeth and suck on your tongue instead
- Do relaxing activities if constantly stressed out during the day, such as:
- going to the spa
- sauna
- full body massage
- meditation
- stretching / yoga
Tongue and jaw muscle exercises: I don’t want to be that person that just copy and pastes blatantly from other websites, so please read about how you can do tongue and jaw muscle exercises on Healthline.
Physical exercise also helps, such as running/jogging, swimming, etc. This produces endorphins, as well as gets you in shape. Remember that it takes 2 months, not 21 days, to form a habit.
Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is also an option, commonly used to combat extreme anxiety and/or depression.
Medication / Medicine
If the above exercises and therapy does not work for you, there are some medications that may work:
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- Certain types of antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil) or anti-anxiety medication
- Muscle relaxants
Additionally, on Mayoclinic, there are other alternative forms of medication for bruxism.
Surgery
Lastly, if none of the above works, surgery might be the last resort. Botox (botulinum toxin) and biofeedback devices have been said to help significantly.
Bruxism in Kids
“Every 2-3 out of 10 kids will grind or clench / Approximately 15% to 33% of children grind their teeth “
Source: Kidshealth.org and WebMD
Causes of Bruxism in Kids
Similar to adults, there is no one singular reason as to why kids grind their teeth. Possible reasons include:
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- Top and bottom rows of teeth are not aligned properly
- Your child is just beginning to grow teeth
- Earaches
- Stress, nervousness before a big test/presentation/public speaking, anger
- Medical conditions such as cerebral palsy
