Brux - Antibrux

 

Some some of you may have thought my title was a "typo" and I was going to talk about the UK and Brexit.

However, folks know I have TMJ.... temporomandibular jaw disorder.  My bite splints often help.  But, in the last year there have been times where I also needed a bite sock... a literal sock (clean) that I bite on with my front teeth that helps me not clench my teeth while sleeping.  

Bruxing is the grinding of the teeth which is what I can/do do while sleeping and is shown in the above.  Clenching is a bit different in that it does not involve the lateral motion and am just rigidly holding my teeth together with brute force while sleeping (It is sort of akin to what it feels like if you very strenuously work to clench your hands as in a fist.).  

Both bruxing and clenching have been issues with my development of TMJ approaching 50 years ago.

A strange thing has been happening the last couple of weeks.  It actually started perhaps 4 weeks ago, where I would sometimes spit out my bite sock while sleeping.  I started spitting it out very regularly.... so much so that I have decided to forgo the bite sock these last two weeks.  I still use the bite splint.  

The strange thing is that in the morning, the front of my tongue would be dry and a bit uncomfortable.  It would go away after a bit, especially after drinking some water or coffee in the morning.  But, what I am realizing has happened, is that somehow, I have began to (or trained myself to) NOT naturally clench my teeth.  But, unfortunately, what appears to have also occurred is that I may have a relaxed bite, but now I am leaving my mouth OPEN when I sleep.  I do not believe I am breathing through my mouth, as most of my tongue is moist when I awaken.  

What I WISH I could do would be to relax my jaw, but also keep my mouth closed (lips closed).  If I could figure out how to do that when I sleep, my TMJ would disappear.  As it stands now, the TMJ has not flared up the last couple of weeks.... but the dry, uncomfortable tongue is rather not what I want either. There is a new device that seems potentially promising that I am investigating and may discuss further in the future if I decide to get it.  It could help me not clench nor brux.... and potentially would have me keep my lips closed as well.  

* * * * * 

• 10.1 miles (~16km) this morning.
• Friday was WONDERFUL AND FUN!  My SIL and her husband were wonderful to have over and we had a great time of laughing and playing cards!  I ended up eating ONE piece of pizza.  And, I enjoyed TWO of the IPAs as well.  Even though the TWO IPAs did have me reminiscing very fondly for my pipes and pipe tobaccos.... my shaky resolve was intact enough to keep me from starting the "experiment" of whether or not I could have a pipe at home without "falling off the wagon".
• Band tonight should be a lot of fun.  We have a sizable number of songs we are working through.   We will of course have a few concerts.... but we are working through some more challenging pieces because our group is also going to participate in our state music competition festival with these pieces.  The festival attracts community bands from across the state.... we are not really in competition with each other.... instead we go there to play before various music education professionals who offer us feedback on our strengths and also on ways we could improve.  That will occur in about two months from now.  
• While I was lecturing about the developmental processes behind mammalian cloning research today, my mind drifted far afield and I was thinking more in my imagination about how beautiful a bowl of Prince Albert pipe tobacco would taste.  It had always been a staple of mine, and was perhaps the most primary pipe tobacco I used to smoke on campus in my office and in my research labs.  It is so pleasant an experience.  It seemed odd to actually be focusing on that in my imagination while simultaneously lecturing about the processes of cloning.  

PipeTobacco