Almost every person more or less grind their teeth occasionally.
Occasional teeth grinding is not a big problem, but if you grind your teeth all the time, it could be a significant health issue for you.
Grinding teeth is a bad habit, and like every other bad habit, it is a bit difficult to get rid of it.
If you’re conscious, you may try hard to avoid this bad habit, but it’s not easy to do when you’re sleeping.
You can rely on some essential oils to get rid of teeth grinding faster.
Read on to learn about some great essential oils for teeth grinding and how to use them to get valid results.
What is Teeth Grinding & Why It Is Bad for You?
Teeth grinding or bruxism is a movement disorder that happens whether you’re awake or sleeping. [1]
It’s an unconscious, lousy habit that occurs without the choice or knowledge of you.
The habit of grinding teeth most happens at night, but can occur during the day too.
The common reasons behind teeth grinding are stress, fear, and anxiety. But, sometimes you may develop this habit due to some misaligned teeth or an abnormal bite.
Occasional grinding and clenching won’t harm you much, but if you are continuously grinding your teeth, it can lead to extreme pain, worn down teeth, and cracks in teeth enamel. You may also have neck pain and chronic earaches.
11 Best Essential Oils for Teeth Grinding
The following essential oils can effectively reduce your anxiety, stress, calm down your nervous system, and some other issues that lead to teeth grinding.
1. Peppermint Oil
You should try peppermint oil if you have anxiety issues. [2]
This essential oil can reduce your stress and anxiety, helping you to stop grinding your teeth when you’re sleeping.
Peppermint oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation due to conventional grinding.
Continuous teeth grinding can cause chronic pain and headaches. Ingesting peppermint oil can give you relief from that pain.
Read More: Peppermint Oil for Hair: 8 Reasons to Use
2. Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil is made from tree resin and is quite famous for its medicinal properties. [3]
It’s a great painkiller that you can use on your skin or inhale.
If you’re suffering from pain and inflammation because of excessive teeth grinding, frankincense oil can help you.
It’s a natural inflammation reducer and can calm you down, letting you enjoy every moment without anxiety and fear.
Read More: 12 Health Benefits of Frankincense Oil + How to Use It
3. Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is one of the best options if you want to stop grinding teeth when you’re sleeping.
The sedating and relaxing effects of lavender oil on the nervous system can help you have a sound sleep, as well as relax all your muscles.
The essential oil is quite famous for depression and anxiety relief, significant reasons behind teeth grinding. [4]
Lavender oil is excellent for increasing the dopamine and noradrenaline levels, meaning that you will have a better mood.
Read More: 11 Health Benefits of Lavender Oil That You Should Know
4. Roman Chamomile Oil
Roman Chamomile oil has high medicinal values, hence can fight a lot of diseases. [5]
It has excellent calming, peaceful effects on you, meaning that you will have a good night sleep.
You can use it during the day as well. Sniffing this oil will regulate your heartbeat and breathing, and you will feel relieved from anxiety.
The anti-inflammatory properties of Roman Chamomile oil can help reduce inflammation due to teeth grinding.
It can also calm down the spasms of your jaw muscles, reducing your habit of teeth clenching and grinding.
Read More: 14 Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea (Backed by Science)
5. Valerian Oil
Valerian oil comes from Valerian; an herb grows in Europe, Asia, as well as North America. [6]
The essential oil is not only an excellent ingredient for perfume but also an excellent remedy if you have trouble sleeping.
It will help you to have a sound sleep, meaning that you’ll have a possibility to grind teeth.
Valerian oil is effective at reducing anxiety, nervous disorders, and psychological stress because of its potent smell.
It can also soothe muscle and joint pain due to the previous grinding.
6. Rosemary Oil
As the rosemary herb adds great taste on your food, its oil is also quite useful due to its medicinal values. [7]
Known as world’s most potent essential oil, rosemary oil can relieve muscle aches, toothaches, as well as sore jaw caused by teeth grinding.
It helps boost your mental performance, as well as nerve growth that can improve your brain function.
Read More: 13 Health Benefits and Uses of Rosemary Oil (Backed by Evidence)
7. Turmeric Oil
Want to feel relaxed? Turmeric essential oil can help you with that.
Stress and anxiety can make you unconsciously grinding your teeth.
The strong relaxing power of turmeric oil can help you get rid of depression and anxiety and have a good mood all the day.
The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric help reduce inflammation, pain, and headache due to excessive clenching and grinding. [8]
Read More: 11 Essential Oils for Back Pain to Provide Quick Relief
8. Ylang Ylang Oil
Are you having sleepless nights, with constant tossing and turning in your bed?
The sedative nature of ylang-ylang oil ensures sound sleep, reducing the chance of teeth grinding. [9]
Applying ylang-ylang oil to your skin can promote relaxation, and smelling the oil can calm you down. In this way, you won’t unconsciously grind your teeth.
9. Bergamot Oil
Bergamot essential oil comes from bergamot, citrus fruit and contains excellent medicinal values.
The oil is quite popular due to its scent; hence many companies use it on their soaps, and perfumes.
Study shows, inhaling bergamot oil can enhance your positive feelings. It means you will be less stressed, and less anxious. [10]
This oil effectively eases your tension, reducing your possibility to grind teeth.
Read More: 12 Health Benefits of Bergamot Oil plus How to Use Them
10. Clary Sage Oil
Clary sage oil is rich in skin softening and antibacterial properties that can reduce the stress in your muscle and make your life a bit easier. [11]
Clary sage oil is quite beneficial for upset stomach, kidney diseases, removing splinters from the skin, as well muscle relaxing.
Regular use of this oil can calm your nerves, ease anxiety, as well as relax your muscle so that you don’t unconsciously grind your teeth and ensure tension in your jaw at the same time.
11. Juniper Berry Oil
Juniper berry oil could be the best essential oil for you if you have jaw pain.
You can suffer from severe nerve pain after teeth grinding. Juniper oil can soothe the pain and give you relief. [12]
Its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects make it a natural remedy for rheumatism pain, and nerve pain from teeth grinding.
Juniper berry oil also promotes better breathing, meaning that you will feel relaxed and less stressed.
Read More: 10 Best Essential Oils for Bone Healing & How to Use Them
How to Use Essential Oils for Teeth Grinding
As there are so many oils to choose from, there are so many ways to use them as well. Whether you prefer to apply the oil directly to your skin or use them as a room diffuser, anything will work.
We are offering you some useful methods from where you can choose to use your favorite essential oil:
Diffusion
- To use the oil as a room diffuser, add 10-15 drops of essential oils in a room diffuser and inhale the mist.
- Let the oil diffuse for 20-30 minutes. The bigger the room, the more oils you need.
Massage
- If you want to apply the oil to your skin, mix 10-12 drops of essential oils per oz. Carrier oil of your choice.
- Massage the oil on your skin for a few minutes until your skin becomes warm.
- This method is quite useful if you apply it before going to bed.
Bath
- Pour warm water in your bathtub and add 20 drops of essential oils and a cup of salt in it.
- Soak yourself in the water and relax.
- Inhale deeply and let the oils work on relaxing your muscles and reducing any pain.
Bottom Line
Dental problem is always very stressful, especially if the problem is teeth grinding.
It doesn’t only damage your teeth, but also the muscles, and nerves related to your teeth and jaw.
Always try to be relaxed and free from stress. If you find anything stressful that may lead to teeth grinding, try any of these essential oils to calm yourself.
We hope you like the uses of these essential oils. Let us know if you use any of these and your experience with them in the comment section below.