Stop Grinding Your Teeth

Stop Grinding Your Teeth!
A holistic approach to Bruxism.

Colin Malval, osteopath DO
https://t.me/DentalBooksWorld
Copyrights © 2016 Colin Malval
all rights reserved
Illustrations © Paula Solano

all rights reserved
To Jennifer, a dear and inspiring patient.
Acknowledgment
Thank you to Jennifer who motivated me to write this book.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sarah and Jennifer
who helped me with the editing, spelling and grammar.
A special thanks to Michael, I am extremely fortunate to have worked
with you and learned so much from you.
I would like to extend a special thank you to Paula for your amazing
drawings.
To Andrea, Brice, Rosetta, Lindsey, Elena, Olinca, Carlo, Pat, Angeli,
Angela, Robin, Natasha, Laureen, Jason, Pam, Holly, Karen, Debbie,
Kira, Tahiri, Tanisha, Lisa, Christine, Jean-François, François my
colleagues and friends at Mahaya Health, Schecter dental and other
locations for their continual support. You have been a constant source
of encouragement.
To my partner Elodie and to my family, thank you for the

immeasurable love support and encouragement. Your support has
always been a source of strength and inspiration. Thank you for
sharing in all my dreams and believing in me.
Preface
By Dr Michael Schecter, DDS,
Teeth grinding, bruxism, is a complex issue. It is often an

indication of a greater imbalance. As a biologic/holistic dentist, it is
important to identify and support oral and systemic imbalances that
will lead to bruxism. Close to twenty five percent of the patients at
Schecter Dental suffer with Bruxism. Often there are additional
complications that present along with the bruxism. Headaches, TMJ
joint pain/degeneration, poor quality of sleep, and postural imbalance
are some of the common associated concerns.
It has been quite illuminating to collaborate with Dr. Malval

regarding these patients. The level of comprehensive improvement
seen in these patients is both impressive and inspiring. This book
brings several core insights into the cause and ultimate management
of Bruxism. As a practitioner, I can rely on this book to provide
patients with background information, coping strategies, and useful
tools.
Bruxism appears to be increasing across the North American

population. We need a comprehensive approach on Bruxism. This
landmark book is arriving at the right time.
Michael Schecter.
The Author
I was trained in France where I obtained a Diploma of Osteopath,
D.O. from the College International D'Ostéopathie (CIDO), Saint-
Etienne, after five years of study and training.
I am passionate about human anatomy and physiology, science and

eastern philosophy. My background as a dancer thought me a lot
about the body and how every component in it affects another. In
part, this has fed my passion for anatomy, physiology and science.
My knowledge in Eastern philosophy, including the chakras system
and energy meridians, has been deeply enhanced through different
influences, training and teachers. I spent several years working and
traveling around the world to deepen my knowledge of holistic and
energetic medicine, as well as yoga and psychotherapy. I have
gathered clinical experience in France, Germany, Belgium, India and
Canada. All of which has given me a comprehensive and ever-
growing understanding of health.
Dental osteopathy has always been an interest for me. As part of my

training, I developed a keen interest in working on my patient’s teeth,
adjusting jaw tension, and balancing people’s bite. André Mergui, a
French stomatologist, was the first to introduced me to dental
osteopathy. The first step was to understand the connection between
the posture and the bite. André Mergui says, “We walk on our teeth”.
He is speaking of the connection between our feet, posture and bite.
Additionally, I had the privilege of being mentored by Christine Perez,

a holistic dentist in France who teaches that teeth are very much
alive. Using very soft and subtle manipulation (almost like a
massage), we can adjust the tension on a single tooth. I often see
patients with tooth pain who end up coming to see me after they’ve
had several dental appointments and x-rays. After a session of single
tooth manipulation, the ache is gone or at least diminish noticeably.”
After moving to Canada I joined the Schecter dental office in Toronto.

Together along with Dr. Michael Schecter, DDS, the team has been
treating many patients with bruxism conditions.
Table of contents
Preface
The Author
Table of contents
Bruxism
Osteopathy
Dental osteopathy
Anatomy
Bones
Head and Jaw
Neck and Throat
Chest
Pelvis
Muscles
The Head Muscles
The Chest Muscle
Pelvis Muscles
Feeling our anatomy
How to feel our mastication muscles?
Tongue
Feeling your pelvic floor muscles
The Autonomic Nervous System
The Interconnected Three Spheres System
Releasing tension around the head
Massage
Saliva
Tongue Position
Throat
The Chest
Breathing
Kapalbhati
The Pelvis
Kegel exercise
Hip Opening
Stress Management
Physical Stress
The Dura Mater
Diet and Supplements
Exercising
Mental Stress
Body Scan
Meditation
Managing Emotional Stress
Energetic Approach: The Chakras
Vishudha Chakra
Muladhara Chakra
Children and Teeth Grinding
Night Guard
Summary
Bibliography
Bruxism
Bruxism is the medical name for teeth grinding. Many people suffer
from this growing condition. It mostly affects women, although men
and children can also suffer from teeth grinding. Perhaps you were
told by your dentist that you grind your teeth. It is indeed the dentist
who often diagnoses bruxism. When you grind your teeth it leaves
specific marks on your teeth evident to your dentist. Maybe your
partner mentioned that you are grinding your teeth at night, or maybe
you’ve noticed your child grinding his or her teeth.
Teeth grinding not only leads to dental issues, but also headaches,
lack of concentration, poor sleep, poor digestion and improper
breathing. In an effort to protect your teeth you may already be
wearing a night guard, however you are likely still holding a lot of
tension in your jaw. You were probably told that it is stress related. In
some ways, yes, but what does the label “stress” really mean? What
are the hidden causes of stress and what specific kinds of stress are
held in the jaw? Together, let’s discover the major causes of teeth
grinding.
This book aims to give you a holistic understanding of teeth grinding

and answers questions like: Why do we grind our teeth? How do you
prevent teeth grinding? And what are simple exercises you can do to
help release tension? Together we will go through the masticatory
anatomy. We will talk about the connection between tension in the
jaw and tension in other areas of your body, and how this contributes
to TMJ tension. You will learn exercises including techniques from the
yoga tradition and personal development tools to manage your
stress. You will also learn about the physiology of stress. Finally you
will be immersed into the chakra system, a complementary approach
to bruxism. Enjoy your reading!
Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a holistic manual medicine which focuses on
movement and circulation. Its philosophy is that when each and every
part of the body is moving properly and all fluids and energies are
circulating the way they are designed, at a healthy pace, the body is
able to function in a state called health. Osteopathy is known
worldwide for achieving results in the treatment of back pain, neck
pain and joint pain. More and more people are consulting an
osteopath to resolve digestive disorders, chronic pain and functional
diseases, as well as during pregnancy or after birth for both parents
and babies. Furthermore, osteopathy offers a large variety of
techniques to address dental issues. It considers teeth to be more
than just pieces of bones sitting on a jaw. Teeth are living organs and
a visible reflection of our diet, posture, health and emotional state.
Dental osteopathy
During odontogenesis (tooth development in utero), our teeth partially
originate from the ectoderm (the mass of embryonic tissue that
eventually forms brain, hormonal glands and skin). Our teeth share
the same origin as our sense organs, nervous system, skin and brain.
All together these organs have the function to feel our environment.
Although our teeth go through the process of ossification, they still
share the same origin with our sense organs, our proprioception, our
interaction with the outside world, our ability to sense our
surroundings.
A biorhythm animates the entire cranium. This biorhythm is partially

generated by the cerebro-spinal fluid secretions. Cranial osteopathy
is a branch of osteopathy that was developed in the early 20th
century. It works on the cranial membranes (dura-mater) to balance
the tension along the head, spine and pelvis. This allows the cerebro-
spinal fluids to flow unrestricted and nourish each part of the brain.
This same biorhythm resonates on the teeth. Osteopathy uses the
gentle natural strength of this movement to help relax tension in the
jaw and teeth.
With a complete assessment of the posture, the arches of the feet,

pelvis mobility, spine alignment and jaw tension, the osteopath aims
to unlock the unnecessary tension responsible for non-medical dental
issues. In collaboration, the osteopath and holistic dentist target the
cause of their patient’s suffering and establish a tangible, tailored
treatment plan to serve their patient’s needs.
Anatomy
Discover, learn and feel the human anatomy.
This chapter aims to give you an overview of the basic anatomy of

the body so you can follow and understand the concepts presented in
this book. Feel free to come back to this chapter at any time
throughout the book. This chapter is also helpful to better understand
and localize the different muscles, joints and organs involved in the
mechanics of mastication. I will limit this chapter to only include the
anatomy I think is necessary: the jaw bones and muscles, neck and
throat, chest and diaphragm, pelvis, and finally the nervous system. If
you are curious to learn more about anatomy, I recommend that you
refer to a more detailed anatomy book or literature. Conversely, if
anatomy doesn’t overly interest you, I suggest you skim the pictures
and move on to the next chapter to start your healing plan. You can
always come back later to review the pictures and text.
Bones
Let us have a look at our skeleton.
Head and Jaw

The upper teeth are attached to the maxilla, the largest bone of our
face. The maxilla is attached to the rest of the cranium.
The lower teeth are attached to the mandible. This is the part of your
mouth that moves in order to speak, chew and breath.
The mandible is articulated with the ear bone, which is called the
temporal bone. Between the mandible and the temporal bone is a
meniscus, a piece of soft cartilage which is designed to limit friction.
There are many strong ligaments holding this joint together. We call
the joint between the temporal and the mandible, the
temporomandibular joint or TMJ.
Another bone that plays an important role in our jaw mechanism is
the sphenoidal bone, which is located at the center of the cranium.
This is the sphenoidal bone.
Neck and Throat
The cervical spine is made of seven vertebrae, numbered top to
bottom, C1 to C7.
C1, the first vertebra sits right below our cranium and is also called
the Atlas. It supports the cranium the same way Atlas, the ancient
god of Greek mythology, is supporting the world.
C2, the second cervical vertebra is called Axis because of its
particular shape.
The Hyoid bone, located in the throat, is a very small bone the shape
of a horseshoe. During puberty the male hyoid bone migrates
downward causing changes to the pitch of the voice.
Chest
The chest is made up of several bones. In the front we have the
sternum. Connected to each side of the sternum are the twenty-four
ribs that run from the front to the back, with twelve on each sides. The
ribs are numbered from top to bottom. The last two pairs (eleven and
twelve) are floating ribs that are not attached to the sternum. The
back of the ribs connect with the spine and the thoracic vertebrae. At
the very top of the sternum we find the clavicles running from the
sternum in the center, to the scapula at shoulder level.
Pelvis
The pelvis is made of 4 bones. At the back of the pelvis and at the
very bottom of the spine is the sacrum, and at the very tip of the
sacrum is the coccyx or tailbone. On each side and running forward
to the pubic area are the hip bones, or iliac bone.
Muscles
The Head Muscles
Many muscles are involved in our chewing mechanics; both the
temporalis muscle and the masseter muscles are responsible for the
closing of our mouth. The temporalis muscle runs from the temples
down to the jaw.
The masseter muscle runs from the zygomatic arch down to your
mandibular angle.
The pterygoid muscles are located deep underneath the temporalis
and masseter. We use them to pull the chin forward. This movement
is called protrusion.
To open up our mouth we use the weight of gravity and then engage
mostly the digastric muscle. This muscle runs from the mandible
down and back to the temporal bone (mastoid process).
The Chest Muscle
The diaphragm is a strong muscle separating the thorax from the
abdomen. It is located under the ribs and attached to the lumbar
vertebrae at the back. Above the diaphragm are the lungs and heart.
When we inhale the diaphragm moves down, stretching the lungs and
allowing air to enter the body. The diaphragm moves back up,
pressing into the lungs as we exhale.
Pelvis Muscles
The pelvic floor is the layer of muscle at the very bottom of the body
that supports the pelvic organs, as if they were being held in place by
a hammock. The pelvic floor is made up of different layers of muscles
and ligaments that support the weight of our organ while we sit or
stand. These muscles have an intimate connection with our
sphincters, the urinary sphincter, the vagina and anus.
Feeling our anatomy
How to feel our mastication muscles?

Temporalis - Place your fingers on your temple area and move them
about an inch higher, then clench your jaw. You will feel your muscles
moving below your skin.
Masseter - Place your fingers on your cheekbone (zygomatic
branch) and them move down about an inch. Squeeze your teeth and
again, you will feel your muscles moving below your skin. The
masseter is actually one of our strongest muscles in the body. This
explains why grinding our teeth can be so damaging.
Tongue
The tongue also plays an important role in our mouth tension and
therefore must also be considered. What is the natural position of the
tongue in a tension free jaw? Tension free is what I call a good
balance between the opening muscle, gravity and the closing muscle.
In this case, there is some space between your upper and lower
teeth. Your teeth are not touching. Your tongue is relaxed and its tip
touches the gum right behind the front incisors. Your throat muscles
are relaxed and your voice has a low pitch, vibrating at low
frequencies. Move your tongue around to fully relax it, and let it come
and touch your gums right behind your front incisors, as shown on the
drawing. Each time you feel tension in your jaw, bring your tongue
into this position.
Feeling your pelvic floor muscles
Sit comfortably, both feet on the floor. Place a few fingers between
the chair and your pelvis — between your anus and vagina, or
between your anus and testes. Now focus your attention on your
pelvic floor, the spot you touched with your fingers. Feel the tension
of your tissue. Now feel your pelvic floor muscle by contracting them
— as if you want to stop urinating — smoothly but firmly. You will feel
tension with your fingers as you contract. This is your pelvic floor
contracting.
The Autonomic Nervous System
Our nervous system is divided into two parts: voluntary and
involuntary. The network of nerves that carries information to our
muscles is our voluntary nervous system. We use this network
system for any voluntary action: to lift our arm, walk, shake a hand,
use a screwdriver etc. We use it anytime we consciously do an
activity.
The second part of our nervous system is automatic, which means it

works on its own without us having to think about it. This part of our
nervous system operates on a different network and it regulates the
main functions of our body such as the blood circulation, heartbeat,
blood pressure, digestion, hormonal secretions etc. This is our
autonomic nervous system.
Now this autonomic nervous system itself is divided into two modes.
The first mode involves the “fight or flight” response and is called the
sympathetic mode; the second is called parasympathetic mode,
otherwise known as the “rest and digest” mode. Our body switches to
“fight or flight” mode (sympathetic mode) as a stress response to our
environment and surroundings. The sympathetic system is a stress
response. This mode is essential as it allows our body to escape from
danger or fight for our survival; a crucial tool when we were cavemen
facing a bear, lion or crocodile. In the “fight or flight” mode or
sympathetic mode, our breathing accelerates, our heart beats faster,
our blood pressure increases, our digestion slows down and our jaw
tightens up. All of our focus and energy goes towards our peripheral
muscles in order to fight or run away.
The other mode of our autonomic nervous system increases our

ability to “rest and digest”. This is the parasympathetic mode and it is
active when we feel relaxed and safe. The main goals of this system
are to assimilate energy, to increase our internal resources and
release any unnecessary tension. It stimulates digestion, improves
our sleep, slows our breathing pace, and lowers our blood pressure
and resting heart rate. This is the parasympathetic mode of our
autonomic nervous system. It allows us to rest and digest, generate
and store energy. The longer our body is able to remain in this mode
the less muscle tension we hold and the more our body is able to
heal.
The sympathetic nerves mostly emerge from the spine at the thoracic
level, whereas the parasympathetic nerves mostly emerge from the
skull and sacrum.
The Interconnected Three
Spheres System
How to fully relax your jaw.
The human body is organized around three major spheres - the

pelvis, chest and head. These three body areas have the shape of a
sphere; they enclose and protect our vital organs. The three spheres
include the reproductive system in the pelvis, the heart and lungs in
the thorax, and the brain in the head. These three areas are well
protected by bones; the ilium bones and sacrum, the ribs and
sternum and the skull. These three spheres are interconnected; any
tension in one sphere impacts the other two spheres. This
interconnection is at the bone level, (sacrum, ilium / ribs / cranium,
jaw) and at the muscle and tissue level (pelvic floor/diaphragm/cranial
membranes). Any work on one sphere will have an effect on the other
two as well.
Since the jaw is located in the upper sphere; the head, any tension in
that area has an impact on the chest and pelvis. Likewise, any
tension in the pelvis and chest generates tension around the jaw. I
have gathered and designed specific exercises for each of these
spheres with the common aim of releasing unnecessary tension in
the pelvis, chest and head in order to relieve jaw tension.
Releasing tension around the head
Massage
Localized massages can be helpful to relax masticatory muscles and
to stretch the muscle fibers. Remember feeling your temporal
muscle? (refer to previous chapter). You can gently place your finger
tips on this area, apply gentle pressure locally and massage in a very
slow circular motion. You can do the same on your masseter muscle.
To locate your masseter muscle refer to the previous chapter.
Massage therapists are trained to do mouth internal massage. Check

with your therapist.
Saliva
Saliva is an indispensable fluid for digestion. It begins the process of

breaking down the food we are ingesting and prepares it to be better
digested by your stomach and intestines. Saliva is also very important
for your mouth bacteria.
Swallowing Saliva: The Primary Approach to Releasing Jaw Tension
Now that we know a bit more about what saliva does, I would like to
bring your attention to how you swallow your saliva. There are two
ways of swallowing saliva.
There are two tests that will tell you if you are swallowing your saliva
properly. Pay attention to how your cheeks, throat muscle and tongue
move when you swallow.
• First, close your mouth, teeth in contact, and
swallow your saliva.
Did your cheeks move? Did you suck your cheeks in? Did you
squeeze your lips together? Your cheeks and lips should have
remained still.
• Now open your mouth by half an inch. Your lips

are not touching, nor are your teeth. Hold this position and try to
swallow your saliva.
Is it difficult? Were you able to do it? There is a 95% chance that you
could not do it. Why? From my own experience, I have observed that
people who grind their teeth do not swallow their saliva in a proper
way.
Humans swallow saliva about 2000 times a day.
If we swallow the wrong way — just like a nursing baby — we exert

extra effort to stabilize our jaw using our jaw muscles. We refer to this
action as “nursing swallowing”. According to Nicole Maurin, a French
speech therapist, “nursing swallowing” engages primarily the lips and
cheeks and uses the tongue as the motor for swallowing. Babies
push their tongues forward in order to swallow. However, when we
swallow properly, like a adult and not like a baby, we engage our
throat muscles and laryngopharynx muscle (mylohoid) and therefore
put less tension on our jaw. We refer to this as “mature swallowing”,
the way a healthy adult should swallow. Note that humans swallow
saliva about 2000 times a day. If you do it poorly, you are
unnecessarily creating tension in your jaw 2000 times a day.
If you find that you need to suck your cheeks in when swallowing your
saliva, or if you need to squeeze your lips, it means you are using
your cheeks, lips and jaw muscles to stabilize your jaw. If you see or
feel your cheeks being sucked in when swallowing, it means you
don’t swallow your saliva in a “mature” way. Mature swallowing
engages the throat muscles (most of this action is done by the
mylohyoid muscle). The tip of the tongue does not move; instead we
are using our laryngopharynx (the lower part of the pharynx that lies
behind the larynx).
Shortly after babies stop nursing they should be able to switch to

mature swallowing. This occurs somewhere between 18 months to 10
years of age, Maurin says. The reason why most of us do not is still
unclear. Is it because we do not nurse as long? Is it because we
introduce solid food too early? Perhaps because we were separated
from our mothers too early? Unfortunately, I do not know the answer,
however the good news is that we can train ourselves to reset our
swallowing pattern by doing a very simple exercise. This exercise will
help relieve tension in your jaw.
Swallowing Exercise:
Sit in a comfortable position. Although you can do this exercise lying

down on your back, it is not advisable because your laryngopharynx
will be slightly looser making it more difficult to engage. This
increases the risk of swallowing incorrectly.
Now that you have found a comfortable seat, allow your jaw and
throat to soften. Take few breaths in and out, and relax your
shoulders, neck and throat on the exhale. Release your jaw so that
your teeth are not touching. Now roll up your tongue. The bottom of
your tongue tip should be in contact with your palate, as far back as it
will go while still allowing your breath to be relaxed.
Now without moving your tongue, try to swallow your saliva. If you
experience any difficulty, which is quite normal, you will simply need
to practice. Do this exercise diligently many times a day. Please
remember that this is an exercise. This is not how you are supposed
to swallow throughout the day. This is a specific exercise tailored to
train you laryngopharynx muscles. The proper way to swallow is with
your tongue lightly touching your gums behind your central incisors,
which we will talk about below.
Tongue Position
The natural resting tongue position is behind the top incisors, or front
teeth. There, the tip of the tongue is slightly and effortlessly touches
the gum. Throughout the day keep checking your tongue position and
make sure it is sitting in the proper position just behind your top front
teeth. If you have a hard time remembering to do this you can use an
external device like your phone. Set up an automatic reminder to alert
you when it is time to check your tongue position and adjust it
accordingly. Some people notice an increase in energy by doing this
exercise. As a matter of fact, behind your top front teeth is an energy
center; by touching this area with your tongue you keep the energy
actively circulating within you.
Throat
The jaw is the line that separates the throat from the head. If we want
a relaxed jaw, we need to release as much tension as possible above
and below the jawline. If there is too much tension above the jawline,
then naturally it pulls the jaw up and we start grinding our teeth. We
want to balance the upper tension by also strengthening the throat
muscles.
How Do We Physically Strengthen the Throat Muscle?
Jalandhara Bandha
This is an exercise I have borrowed from the practice of yoga. In

Sanskrit, it is called Jalandhara Bandha. Bandhas are toning
exercises aimed at strengthening a specific body part, and also are
meant to lock the energy inside the core in order for it to be well
distributed throughout the body. Jalandhara translates to “upward
pulling net”. Jalandhara Bandha tonifies the throat (chakra), neck,
shoulders and arm regions. It can correct TMJ when performed with
sensitivity and awareness.
To do this exercise, sit in a very comfortable position with your back

straight, a beautiful balance between tone and comfort. If you are
sitting on a chair, make sure your feet are resting on the floor. Place
your hands on your abdomen and feel your belly moving forward and
down as you breath in, and feel your belly move back as you breath
out. Slightly tighten up your abdominal muscles at the end of your
exhale. Focus your attention on your breathing for few cycles. If belly
breathing is new for you, please refer to the breathing chapter. Once
your breathing is relaxed, deep and slow, you can start the
Jalandhara Bandha. Breath naturally, inhaling through the nose softly,
being mindful not to force your breathing. At the end of the inhale,
hold your breath and bring your chin close to your chest. This will
increase the pressure on your throat and bring length to the back of
your neck. Do not hold the position but rather bring your head back to
neutral as you exhale through the nose.
Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times.
Be aware of your limits. If you feel dizzy or unwell during the

exercise, rest or stop. If you feel comfortable doing only a few
repetitions, acknowledge your efforts and start again the following
day. You can increase your repetitions gradually until you reach 10
times. Do this exercise diligently every day. Remember it is the
regularity and frequency that makes the difference.
Ujjayi Pranayama
Pranayamas are breathing exercises aimed at stimulating the subtle

energy flow throughout the body. Ujjayi is also called the “ocean’s
breath”. Ujjayi Pranayama is another exercise borrowed from the
ancient practice of yoga.
Sit in a very comfortable position on a chair or on the floor, according

to your ability. Your back is straight and in a position that creates a
beautiful balance between tone and comfort. If you are sitting on a
chair, make sure your feet are resting on the floor and that your back
isn’t resting against the back of the chair. Instead, have your back
support itself with a gentle balance between effort and relaxation.
Place your hands on your abdomen and feel your belly moving
forward and down as you breath in, and feel your belly move back as
you breath out. Slightly tighten your abdominal muscles at the end of
your exhale. Focus your attention on your breathing for few cycles.
The purpose of Ujjayi Pranayama is to breath in and out on a closed

mouth and challenge your breath by contracting the throat muscle.
Contracting the throat muscle as you breathe is similar to the breath
you would use to warm your hands on a cold day by blowing warm air
on them. Use this same technique to breathe through a wide open
mouth and make a low “A” sound. It can be compared to the sound
Darth Vader makes when he breathes. The inhales and exhales use
the same contraction but on a closed mouth. Try first with an open
mouth. Once you are comfortable with this type of breathing, close
your mouth and maintain the contractions as you breath in and out
through your nose. Whenever you feel the need to pause and rest,
listen to your body and acknowledge that it will take some practice.
Sit comfortably and breathe in and out through your nose, with a
slight contraction in your throat. Slow down your breathing. Keep your
jaw relaxed. After practising Ujjayi Pranayama you may notice that
your voice has changed and reached a lower frequency. The pitch of
your voice is indeed a good indicator of your throat tone. The lower
the pitch the stronger your throat will be, and the slower your voice
the more meaningful your word will be.
A friend of mine who worked as a dental office receptionist was able

recognize new patients who were grinding their teeth, just by the way
they spoke and the by the sound of their voice on the phone. Her
employer was always amazed by her accuracy.
The Chest
You will recall that tension in one of the three spheres at the muscle
and fascia level influences tension in the other two. Tension in the
pelvic floor, diaphragm and head are well connected. The jaw, by its
close proximity, is very much under the influence of the cranium
membranes (strong fascia inside the cranium which, when tense,
according to osteopathy, is simply mirroring the diaphragm and pelvic
floor tension). The tension along the cranium membranes is out of our
control and unfortunately we cannot relax it consciously, however we
can work on the tension in our diaphragm which is of course
connected.
Breathing
Train your Breath, Release Tension.
Proper Breathing
“Breathing has an impact on the autonomic nervous system.”
Breathe in and out deeply into the abdomen, slowly and steadily.
Most of my clients who grind their teeth do not breathe properly. It is a
necessity to train ourselves to breath properly. Breathing has an
impact on our autonomic nervous system, the part of our system that
regulates the main functions of our body like the heartbeat, blood
pressure, digestion, sleep etc. The deeper and slower our abdominal
breathing, the better our body functions in a relaxed state. If you wish
to escape feeling stuck in “fight or flight” mode, work on your
breathing.
What is a proper breathing? When the air entering our nostrils passes
through our throat and vocal cords and enters into our lungs, the
pressure inside our chest increases. Simultaneously, as our
diaphragm fills with air, it pushes down on our abdominal organs
forcing our belly to expand. Our chest bone rises slightly upward and
forward, and the spaces between our ribs open up. However our
shoulders do not move. Our trapezius muscles do not contract, nor
does our throat muscle. Our upper body stays relaxed, very relaxed.
Our belly expands forward, downward as well as laterally during a
proper relaxed breath. Being able to engage our diaphragm and
move our abdomen while breathing is key in managing our body
tension and stress level.
Exercises:
I would advise you to read this paragraph entirely before you start the
exercise. You can have your partner, a friend or a family member take
you through the instructions. Choose a quiet time during your day
when you know you will not be disturbed. Allow yourself 30 minutes
to practise this exercise. Lie on your back in a comfortable position.
Keep your legs straight, or bend your knees if the pressure on your
lower back is uncomfortable. You can also place a pillow below yours
knees or under your neck according to your needs. Place your hands
on your belly below your navel, above your pubic bone.
First feel yourself breathing; close your eyes and feel which parts of
your body are animated by your breath. If you feel your shoulders
moving, relax them on the exhale. The same with your upper chest; if
you feel it rise as you breath in, then relax it on the exhale. Spend five
minutes getting in touch with your breathing.
Now focus your attention on your hands and belly. Feel your hands
rising and falling as you breath in and out, just like the ebb and flow of
and ocean. You need to be able to feel your belly and abdomen lifting
your hands as you inhale. By feeling your abdomen rising, you know
you are engaging your diaphragm properly. As you breath in, your
belly is moving, not your chest. Once you get used to feeling your
belly moving up and down as you inhale and exhale, try to slow down
the pace of your breathing. Slow down your breathing and continue
for another 10 minutes. Engage in slow, steady, deep and regular
breathing. Repeat this exercise every day, like you would with any
other work-out. It is not the length of time you spend that counts, but
the regularity of your training.
After few days or weeks of practice, once you are familiar with this
way of breathing (which is our natural way of breathing), sit up and try
the same exercise. It can feel different because of the different
tension along your spine and back muscles. Once you are
comfortable with it, you can use this breathing anytime of the day:
lying down, sitting at a desk or standing on the street. It will become
part of you and feel natural again.
Kapalbhati
Kapalbhati is an cleansing technique inherited from the Yoga
tradition. The meaning of Kapalbhati comes from two words, Kapal
meaning “skull” in Sanskrit — the old language of India — and Bhati
meaning “illuminating”. The aim of Kapalbhati is to cleanse the
respiratory tract including the sinuses, bronchi and lungs. It brings the
entire system into balance. The technique is based on forceful,
repetitive, nasal exhalations. The inhalations happen automatically.
Kapalbhati helps cleanse the sinuses and lungs; it tonifies the
diaphragm and helps to relax the chest, shoulders and neck muscles.
Because you are relaxing tension in the chest, your exercise has an
impact on your nervous system and the two other spheres, pelvis and
head.
To practice Kapalbhati, sit in a very comfortable position with your
back straight, a beautiful balance between tone and comfort. If you
are sitting on a chair, make sure your feet are resting on the floor.
Use a tissue to clear your nose before you begin. Place your hands
on your abdomen and feel your belly moving forward and down as
you breath in. Feel your belly move back as you breath out. Slightly
tighten your abdominal muscles at the end of your exhale. Focus your
attention on your breathing for few cycles.
(if your are not quite familiar with your belly breathing, please refer to
the breathing chapter)
Once your breathing is relaxed, deep and slow, you can start the
Kapalbhati technique. With your hands on the abdomen, keep your
mouth closed and exhale forcefully as if you want to clear your nose.
Do this a few times in a row. Remember to focus only on the exhale,
the inhale will happen automatically. You entire focus is on exhaling
forcefully through your nose. Once you feel familiar with the
technique, try to quicken the pace of your exhale, approximately one
each second. Try to do 10 or 20 in a row. Again only focus on the
exhale. Work up to 50 exhalations. This will likely require time and
practice. If you feel light headed or out of breath when practicing, stop
and rest. Repeat the technique every morning. It is an energizing way
to start your day. If you are suffering from a heart condition, slipped
disc or hernia, seek advice from your doctor or health practitioner
before trying Kapalbhati.
The Pelvis
The pelvis and jaw have a strong connection. First the lines of our
pelvis are very similar to the lines and shape of our mouth. Any
tension in the pelvic area, at the joint or bone level, has an impact on
the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Our pelvis needs to be very
mobile, loose and flexible in order to release or prevent tension from
building up at TMJ level.
Osteopathic or chiropractic pelvic assessment might be required

along with local TMJ work. A fall on the buttocks, tailbone fracture or
dislocation needs to be corrected before a local TMJ work. The old
maxim, “As above, so below” applies to the jaw and pelvis, as tension
on the pelvic frame has an impact on TMJ tension and vice versa?.
The more relaxed the pelvis, the more relaxed the jaw will be.
Many of my patients report that they started to grind their teeth after a
fall, a tailbone injury or a car accident. A complete pelvic assessment
needs to be undertaken to evaluate its mobility. Manipulation or
correction is sometimes required to help relieve or eliminate pelvic
tension.
Regular stretching can be recommended. See the yoga section for

hip opening exercises.
Mammals giving birth yawn during delivery.
When you look at mammals giving birth in the wild, they yawn during
delivery. Why? Because opening up the jaw has a strong impact on
relaxing the uterus. The uterus is made of different muscle layers
which are essential for giving birth. One of these layers is circular
around the uterine membrane. When these fibers contract, the
diameter of the uterus decreases. This type of contraction makes the
baby progress during the first phase of labor. These muscles are
under parasympathetic control which is only accessible when we feel
relaxed and safe (see the Autonomic Nervous System diagram). To
give birth during the first period of labor and in order for the baby to
progress down the canal, the female nervous system must be very
relaxed in order for the circular fibers of the uterus to contract. So
yawning and relaxing the jaw has an impact on the uterus and the
parasympathetic system.
Yawning and relaxing the jaw has an impact on the uterus. This
relationship between the jaw and pelvis goes both ways. The more
relax the uterus and reproductive system, the more relaxed the jaw.
The majority of female patients who grind their teeth also suffer from
gynecological issues and tension. Loosening tension along the
reproductive system has a big impact on the jaw muscle. Tension on
the reproductive system causes teeth grinding. Relaxation of the
gynecologic system relaxes the jaw.
It is important to search in your medical and health records for any

history of gynecologic tension, fertility issues, intercourse discomfort,
miscarriage, abortion, or sexual abuse. If so, this needs to be
simultaneously addressed.
On a broader scale for both men and women, any tension in the
pelvic area, at the joint or bone level, has an impact on the TMJ.
Below is a list of health practitioners whose advice you can seek for
issues related to pelvis tension:
Medical doctor
Gynecologist
Endocrinologist
Naturopath
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor
Osteopath
Chiropractor,
Physiotherapist
and, or a massage therapist
Kegel exercise
Here are two kegel exercises that are easy to do, time efficient and
very effective to work on pelvic floor tension and the reproductive
sphere. They are designed to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
and release any unnecessary tension on the pelvis. You can also
practice these exercises to release trapped energy around your pelvic
area.
I remember giving a lecture on this topic to a group of women. By

doing these exercises, some of the women noticed that they were
building up tension in their jaw, to the point that when the exercise
was complete their jaw was clenched! It was a great breakthrough for
them to realize the connection between pelvic tension and jaw
tension. The more they were able to isolate the contractions in their
pelvic floor, the more they were able to separate and relax their jaw
and thus break down old patterns of tension.
For females:
Choose a quiet time in your day when you know you will not be
disturbed, and when you have fifteen to thirty minutes of time. Find a
place where you feel safe and protected.
Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor, hands facing down on your
lap. Now focus your attention on your pelvic floor, the spot between
your vagina and anus. Feel the tension in your tissues. If you feel the
need, you can place a few fingers between the chair and your pelvic
floor for few minutes to feel and get connected to this area. Now feel
your pelvic floor muscles by contracting them, as if you are trying to
contract your vagina, smoothly but firmly. Do a few contractions to
really feel your muscles. Once you are familiar with your body, focus
on your pelvic floor muscles and try the following exercises.
[Note that some people are taught to familiarize themselves with the
kegel exercises while they are urinating, however I do not encourage
this because the contractions can leave some residual urine in the
urethrae, and can potentially lead to a urinary tract infection over
time.]
The first kegel exercise:
Sit comfortably and focus your attention on your pelvic floor, and
mentally connect with your pelvic floor muscles. Contract and hold
these muscles for three seconds, and then relax and rest for three
seconds. Repeat this twenty times. Remember to rest for as long as
you hold your contraction. Keep a slow steady pace throughout the
exercise. If your muscles get tired before you reach twenty, do not
worry; it is just that your muscles require more strength which will
come with practice. It is like managing to do twenty push-ups; you
start with what you can do and gradually work your way up to your
goal.
Your breath, jaw and hands remain relaxed. You only want your pelvic
floor muscles to be engaged. If you feel the need to engage different
muscles like your thighs, buttocks or back, it means your pelvic floor
muscles are not yet strong enough. With time and practise you will
eventually be able to isolate your pelvic floor muscles. Do this
exercise two to three times a day. Once you feel comfortable doing
this exercise in a quiet environment, you can start doing them
anytime you are sitting (at the office, on the subway, in a car, bus etc)
and no one will notice!
The second kegel exercise:
Sit comfortably, focusing your attention on your pelvic floor, and

mentally connect with your pelvic floor muscles. In this exercise, you
will gradually contract your pelvic floor muscle step-by-step. If 0 is
your pelvic floor being relaxed, and 5 is the maximum contraction
your muscles can hold, gently contract up to 1, then to 2, to 3, 4 and
5. Hold the contraction for five seconds. Gradually relax to 4, 3, 2, 1
and zero. Rest for few seconds and repeat the same technique a
second and third time. If you don’t manage right away to distinguish
five levels of contraction but rather only two or three, again it is only a
matter of strength; just be patient and keep practicing. Remember
that your breath, thighs, buttocks, back, jaw and hands remain
relaxed. Do this exercise two to three times a day. Once you feel
comfortable doing these exercise in a quiet environment, you can
start doing them anywhere, at anytime.
For males:
Choose a quiet time of your day when you know you will not be
disturbed, and give yourself thirty minutes to practise. Find a place
where you feel safe and secure. Sit comfortably with both feet on the
floor and your hands on your lap facing down. Now focus your
attention on your pelvic floor, the spot between your testes and anus.
Feel the tension in your tissue. You can place few finger between the
chair and your pelvic floor for few minutes to get connected and feel
this area. Now feel your pelvic floor muscles by contracting them, as
if you want to stop urinating, smoothly but firmly. Do few contraction
to really feel your muscles. Once you are familiar with your body and
focused on your pelvic floor muscles, you can start to experiment with
the following two exercises.
[Note that some people are taught to familiarize themselves with the
kegel exercise while urinating, however, I do not encourage this
because the contraction can leave some residual urine in the
urethrae and potentially lead to urethrae irritation or urinary tract
infection over time.]
The first kegel exercise:
Sit comfortably. Focus your attention on your pelvic floor and connect
with your pelvic floor muscles. Contract and hold for three seconds,
relax and rest for three seconds. Repeat this twenty times.
Remember to rest for as long as you hold your contraction. Keep a
slow and steady pace throughout the exercise. If your muscles get
tired before you reach twenty, not to worry; it is just that your muscles
need to build up strength. It is like trying to do twenty push-ups, you
start with what you can and gradually work your way up to the goal.
Your breath, jaw and hands remain relaxed. You only want your pelvic
floor muscles to be engaged. If you feel the need to engage different
muscle like your thighs, buttocks, anus or back, it means your pelvic
floor muscles are not strong yet enough. Do this exercise two to three
times a day. Once you feel comfortable doing this exercise in a quiet
environment, you can start doing it anytime you are sitting (your
office, on the subway, in a car, bus etc) and no one will even notice!
Avoid doing this exercise while biking as there is already pressure on
your prostate from the seat.
The second kegel exercise:
Sit comfortably. Focus your attention on your pelvic floor and connect
with your pelvic floor muscles. You will gradually contract your pelvic
floor muscle step-by-step. If 0 is your pelvic floor being relaxed, and
5 the maximum contraction your muscles can hold, gently contract up
to 1, then to 2, to 3, 4 and 5. Hold the contraction for five seconds.
Gradually relax to 4, 3, 2, 1 and zero. Rest for few seconds and
repeat the same technique a second and third time. If you don’t
manage right away to distinguish five levels of contraction but rather
only two or three, again it is only a matter of strength. Just be patient
and keep practicing. Remember that your breath, thighs, buttocks,
back, jaw and hands remain relaxed. Do this exercise two to three
times a day. Again you can do this exercise in a quiet environment, or
anytime you are sitting (at the office, on the subway, in a car, bus…
except biking).
Hip Opening
(For Both Genders)
As we mentioned in previous chapters, TMJ tension is very much

connected to tension in the pelvis and hips. In our modern society
with our more sedentary lifestyle, we have much less flexibility in our
hips. Our ancestors used to squat down much more regularly during
both work and leisure. We used to squat to cook, to clean floors, even
to move our bowels or give birth. We had many more opportunities to
open our hips. Indeed squatting engages the hips, opens up the hip
joints, and stretches muscles and ligaments. Repetitive and
prolonged squatting also creates a pumping effect that helps the
synovial fluid circulate better in and out of the hip joints.
Nowadays people sit on average 50% of the time when they are not
sleeping. When you sit in a chair there is less muscle contraction, as
well as less stretching and opening of the hips. Some of the benefits
of stretching the hips are: better muscle strength in the glutes and
back, better flexibility in the joint, better synovial circulation, stronger
pelvic floor muscles, stronger prostate, and more flexible knees and
ankles.
Below are a few yoga poses that I would recommend. They are the
most efficient in stretching and mobilizing the hips. Please practice
yoga within your body’s limits and under the supervision of a trained
instructor.
Stress Management
Physical Stress
The Dura Mater

Along the spine from our head down to the pelvis runs a strong
resistant membrane called dura mater. The dura mater is part of our
meninges: the membrane that surrounds and protects our brain and
spinal cord. The dura mater inside the cranium runs from the
forehead to the back of the skull and down along the spine to the
pelvis. The tension along the dura mater has an impact on the
nervous system that it protects, but it also impacts the tension along
the spine, pelvis and head.
Accident or emotional shock can stiffen the dura mater.
Sometimes during a physical accident or a strong emotional shock,

our dura mater stiffens to protect our nervous system. This stiffening
can generate tension along the spine, neck, pelvis and head. Over
time, if this stiffness does not get stretched properly, it can built up
and disturb our sleep, digestion, mood, focus and also create tension
in the jaw. Many patients report that they started to grind their teeth
within a few months of having a car accident or a strong emotional
event. It can seem more obvious that a physical trauma can affect the
stiffness of the dura mater, yet an emotional shock can have an
equally strong effect.
Craniosacral therapy is a branch of osteopathy that focuses on

releasing tension along the dura mater. By applying a very gentle
touch on the head, spine or sacrum (the bone at the back of the
pelvis and bottom of the spine) the trained and experienced
practitioner is able to loosen tension at the core of the spine. Besides
working on the head, the cranio-sacral treatment stimulates the
parasympathetic (rest and digest) mode of our autonomic nervous
system, and helps the patient go deeper into relaxation. I have found
these techniques to be very effective for treating bruxism.
Diet and Supplements
Jaw clenching is a reaction to stress. Stress can be managed in a
variety of different ways, one being your food. You can partially
manage your stress by paying closer attention to your diet and
carefully choosing the type of food you put into your system.
Try to stay away from stimulants such as coffee, black tea and soda
pop as much as possible. The caffeine content in these drinks can
overstimulate your body and generate a stress reaction. The acidity
of these beverages is also very damaging for your enamel and
bones.
Blood sugar is connected to stress level.
Your blood sugar level affects your stress level! Cortisol is one of the
stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. The more cortisol
that is released into our bloodstream, the more stress our body
experiences. Our cortisol level has an intimate relationship with our
glucose, which is the amount of sugar circulating in our bloodstream.
How does sugar affect our cortisol level? A simple fact: when our
blood sugar drops, our adrenal glands secrete more cortisol and our
body feels stressed out.
In our body, sugar is either in our blood vessels or in our cells as a

fuel to produce energy. Insulin is the hormone that allows sugar
(glucose) to enter our body cells. The more sugar that enters our
cells, the lower our blood sugar drops, and as our blood sugar drops,
more cortisol is secreted. We then feel a desire to eat sugar (glucose)
to level out our blood sugar. After eating sugar, our blood sugar
spikes. In order to regulate this, our body generously secretes insulin
to allow the sugar (glucose) to enter our cells and then our blood
sugar drops again. When our blood sugar drops, it generates a
physical stress and hormonal reaction. More cortisol is then released
by the adrenal glands (adrenal cortex) and our stress level rises.
It works both ways since your stress level affects your blood sugar.
Why are we often tempted to eat a chocolate bar or some yummy
cookies when we are stressed out? For most of us, it is not only
around Halloween that we feel like a sweet treat to trick our mood.
Whenever we are experiencing a stressful situation — at work, home,
or in the street — our nervous system understands it as a survival
threat. Our body thinks we are under physical attack, as if we are a
caveman facing a hungry bear. In these situations, our cells absorb
sugar quickly to supply us with the energy necessary to run away or
fight our attacker. As a result, whether it is a physical threat or just a
stressful situation, within minutes our glucose drops and we crave
sugar, fast. As a reaction to a blood sugar drop, our body again
secretes cortisol, the stress hormone, and our entire body subtly
tenses up.
You can now see the relationship between glucose and cortisol, and
between sugar and stress. The more sugar we eat, the more our
body glucose swings up and down, creating a constant cortisol roller
coaster and internal stress. Managing our sugar intake and having a
low sugar diet is, in most cases, very beneficial for your stress
management and of course is better for your teeth as well. Talk to
your doctor or health practitioners to learn more about a low sugar
diet.
Teeth grinding can also be related to a lack of magnesium.

Magnesium is a mineral necessary to our energy production. Without
magnesium our muscles would stay in a state of permanent
contraction. Lack of magnesium can thus lead to muscle tension
especially in the jaw. It is best to have you magnesium measured and
leveled if you are suffering from teeth grinding.
Exercising
Moving your body by exercising is one way of managing your stress
level. By making your body move, you are stimulating your blood and
lymph circulation, as well as exercising your heart and muscles. Thus
your body is able to eliminate toxins better, leaving less stagnation
within your system. Exercising also stimulates your lungs and trains
your breath. As we saw earlier, breathing is related to your
autonomic nervous system and internal stress management.
Make a difference between limits and laziness.
The amount of exercise each person requires is very individual.

Some people are naturally able to exercise more than others. Know
your limits and exercise within them. However, know any tendency
towards laziness as well, and make a clear distinction between your
physical limit and your mental limit. If you are not exercising because
deep inside you know you are being lazy, do yourself a favor and
stand up and move.
Some people are only able to go for a walk around the block, some
are able to run a marathon. Depending on your age, constitution,
health and training, we all have different capacities. What matters is
how often you exercise. Daily exercise is required. It is better to
exercise often for short sessions than to exercise sporadically for
longer sessions. It is preferable to go for a walk every day rather than
a 2 hour workout once a week.
At the office, make sure you move a few times a day. More and more
people have a sedentary lifestyle. If you sit at a desk facing a
computer, make sure you stand up and walk every thirty minutes. Go
and grab some water to drink or use the bathroom. Stand up and
stretch every half an hour. Use your commitment and willpower to
remember to move every half an hour. Or use an external device that
reminds you to get up and move, like your smartphone or alarm
clock. It does not have to be long; only ten to twenty seconds is all
that it takes. If your feel your day is already very busy and you cannot
find the time to exercise, then sit down for few minutes and look at
your calendar; where can you find thirty minutes in each day to walk
or move? Go for a short walk in the morning upon waking. Go around
the block at night after dinner. Turn off your TV and go for a stroll. Get
off the subway one station before and walk to work or walk to a
subway station further down the line. There are as many tips as there
are different schedules. Be creative and make it your priority.
By moving and exercising your muscles in order to produce energy,

you are also burning sugar and releasing stress. You will help
maintain your blood sugar levels by exercising or moving regularly.
Exercising can also help maintain your cortisol level. If you are having
a stressful moment at work or at home, go for a more intense short
workout. Thus you will mimic the same fight or flight response that
your body is naturally looking for. By acting this way you are instantly
using the cortisol released into your system by your adrenal glands.
This cortisol then does not stay in your system. Go for a short run, do
some push ups, lift a few weights, walk around the block or walk up
and down the stairs few times.
We already know how breathing is connected to our stress level.

When you are exercising, pay attention to your breathing; keep it low
in you belly, slow, deep and regular. Invest extra effort into
maintaining a relaxed breath centered around your belly button. This
will relax your nervous system and keep it more balanced between
sympathetic and parasympathetic mode.
Be kind to your body.
When you are working out or doing a more intense training, focus on
your nervous system located along your spine, and keep it relaxed
and flexible. I have noticed among most of the patients I see for
bruxism, their sympathetic nervous system is overstimulated and their
spines are very stiff. When they exercise they report getting short of
breath and their backs stiffen up. This is a sign again that their
sympathetic mode is overstimulated.
In this case, you can reduce the intensity of your training. You are
exercising to help your system feel better, to help your body release
tension. You are not exercising in order to harm or punish your body
or to prove yourself in any way. Remember you are not exercising to
overcome your body’s limits or to alter your natural proportions and
constitution. If this is your attitude then unfortunately you are
disconnecting yourself from your body. Your mind is taking control
over your body and then you wonder why you are grinding your teeth.
By putting so much pressure on your body you are actually getting
the opposite of what you are seeking. Too much exercise or too much
intensity can push your system into a fight or flight mode, triggering a
stress response leading to TMJ tension. So gently change your
perspective and go back to a gentle routine more respectful of your
body. Leave behind and stop listening to your headset and listen to
what is around you. Workout outdoors, be in nature, forget about your
screen and enjoy being in a fresh environment. Open your gaze as
you are exercising, clear your mind by focusing on your breath, and
breathe deeply into your belly.
Mental Stress
Body Scan
A body scan is a relaxing exercise that helps you embody your vital
energy. It helps you connect with your body and helps you bring your
energy from your head down to the rest of your body, from above
your jaw to below your jaw. The body scan consists of bringing
attention to your different body parts, starting from the feet and
mentally moving your awareness up to the head.
Choose a quiet time of your day when you know you will not be
disturbed and give yourself thirty minutes of your time. Find a place
where you feel safe and protected. Sit comfortably, both feet on the
floor, hands face down on your lap. Have someone read the following
instructions to you, or record and listen to it on your own.
Focus your attention on your left foot, your toes, the big one, second,
third, fourth, fifth, the sole of your foot, ankle. Left calf, shin, left knee,
thigh, left hip, pelvis. Now switch your focus to the right side of the
body. Bring your attention to your right foot, your toes, the big one,
second, third, fourth, fifth, the sole of your foot, ankle. Right calf, shin,
right knee, thigh, right hip, pelvis. Shift your focus to your genitals, the
back of your pelvis, your sacrum, your spine. Visualize each of your
vertebrae from the bottom of your spine to the base of your skull.
Focus on your left hand, thumb, first finger, second, third, fourth, all
your five fingers. Feel your palm, left wrist, forearm, elbow, upper
arm, shoulder. Switch to the right hand. Bring your awareness to the
right hand, thumb, first finger, second, third, fourth, your five right
fingers. Feel your palm, right wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm,
shoulder. Focus on your head, scalp, and forehead. Relax your eyes,
your ears, your nose, your lips, your tongue, your jaw. Feel your
clavicles, your chest, your abdomen. Feel your breath animating your
belly and chest. Focus on your breathing, relax your breath. Feel your
entire body being animated by your breathing. Feel your body alive,
remember that you are safe.
The body scan can take up to twenty minutes. You can always do the
body scan lying down; just make sure to stay awake as you go
through the exercise.
Meditation
Mental stress is another reason for teeth grinding. Any disturbing
thought has an impact on your jaw tension. Meditation is a state
where thoughts do not affect us. It is a state of mental clarity and
calmness. We go through life and our mind gets affected by what is
going on around us. As a result, the mind generates thoughts in order
to solve problems. However, the by-products of the mind are
obsessive thoughts, illusions and fantasies. These can be disturbing
and create tension within ourselves. Practising mindfulness means
being aware of our thoughts without being disturbed by them. It is
about watching our thoughts passing by, without being emotionally
involved in them.
Some people think they are not able to meditate. They say they do
not have time, or their minds are too busy and full of agitating
thoughts, or their body simply does not allow them to be still long
enough, or they fall asleep every time they have tried to meditate.
These are the common excuses.
Practise mental hygiene.
You regularly clean your house or apartment, you clean your windows
or your car, and you tidy up your desk to be more effective. Do you
not? Everyday you clean your body and your teeth to prevent any
physical sickness or toothaches. Why would you not clean your mind
daily as well? It is necessary to have mental hygiene. When you start
practising meditation, you will face the same challenges that you had
when you first started walking. It requires effort, commitment and a
few falls. The only difference is that no one will be around to
encourage you. You will be left on your own, even if you are
practicing in a group. You will face yourself and your thoughts.
Remember, you are safe!
If you do not have time to meditate, then create the time. Take the
time to practice. Take ten minutes of your time. It is not the duration of
your effort that pays off, it is the repetition. It is better to do ten
minutes a day than one hour a week.
Meditation is not an effort; it is a state of being. Anyone with a strong

commitment is able to do it; repetition and consistency will generate
results. You may not be able to calm down your thoughts, but again
repetition will help you identify your thought patterns with practice.
Eventually, your thought pace will slow down and you will become
more and more aware of the progression of your thoughts. You may
get incredibly irritated by your thoughts. Indeed, when you start
practicing meditation your thoughts often will rush into your mind and
you can easily get overwhelmed by them, perhaps even frightened by
them. You may feel you are facing your darkness. I like to use the
image of cleaning an old house. When you start dusting a very dirty
house, the dust starts flying around and makes breathing difficult
causing you to gasp for air. Gradually you invest effort — coming
back every day to the house — and after a few weeks of hard work
the house looks cleaner. You start enjoying this new home and you
even pay attention to small details that were hidden by the dirt. By
befriending your mind in this way, you will gradually uncover your
thoughts and breath new fresh air.
Perhaps your body is restless and prevents you from practicing

meditation. Or maybe your body’s agitation is a result of an agitated
mind. Make a strong commitment to keep your body as quiet as
possible without building any tension. If you need to move your body
during meditation, do it consciously and with awareness. You will
soon be able to distinguish between your body’s need to move due to
physical discomfort, and your mind using your body as a distraction.
You will also need a strong commitment to remain awake if you know
you have a tendency to fall asleep.
Choose an appropriate location. Tibetan tradition explains meditation
as lighting up a candle. If you want to light it up you will naturally stay
away from the wind or any air courant. If you want the flame to burn,
you will stay away from the wind and storms. The same way if you
want to remain calm focused and quiet in order to practice meditation,
you will choose a quiet safe and calm place away from distraction.
Practice meditation in a clean, safe place when you know you will not
be disturbed. Do simple stretches before and after in order for your
body to support your efforts. You can also start your meditation
session with a body scan.
You will find there are many ways of practicing meditation. Don’t let
your distracted mind be in charge. Meditate and let the effect
penetrate your being. Do not wait to find the perfect group, the
perfect schedule, or the perfect teacher. Stop procrastinating and
start practicing. An agitated mind is unable to make a choice. Practice
first.
Managing Emotional Stress
In the case of a real life-threatening situation such as bear or
crocodile attack, your body requires the fight or flight mode.
Nowadays however, bears and crocodile are not a part of our daily
life anymore and yet our body remains in a state of fight or flight
mode. A boss yelling at us for being late, checking our bank account,
having to pass an exam, losing a potential client… these are the new
“life threatening” situations. These daily life threats are no longer a
question of life and death; they are mostly a relative threat. Today we
mostly face emotional well-being threats. The hidden fear of guilt,
shame, anger or sadness are the real threats these days. Yet, our
nervous system responds the same way as it always has; the energy
moves up to our head, gets trapped, and feeds these repetitive and
disturbing thoughts. We in turn start to clench our jaw. Remaining in
these damaging dynamics and patterns without doing anything about
it is partially responsible for TMJ tension.
How to Break Down Debilitating Emotional Patterns:
Emotions are energy which, to a certain extent, is useful for our

development and growth. In order to use this energy, it needs to be
processed. Just as we process the food we eat to break it down into
useable energy, we need to break down and process our emotions.
Here are a few steps that I have created to help you process and
transcend your emotions: Recognize, Acknowledge, Map, Inform,
Understand and Transcend your emotions.
Recognize
Learn to recognize and label your emotions. Mentally create a word

or phrase for what you are feeling. In order to become more precise
with the emotions you are feeling, it is important to widen your
emotional “library”. Indeed, if you only know about anger and
sadness, it is like you have only two books in your library. It can get
quite boring and you can even lose interest in reading altogether. Dig
deeper; try to dissect your emotions and be more precise in what you
are feeling. Be very specific with the emotion you are feeling and
name it. Some of my clients have difficulty identifying the vast array of
their emotions. Try to name what you are feeling whether it is fear,
shame, anxiety, jealousy, resentment, guilt, hopelessness,
helplessness, happiness, respect, appreciation, vulnerability, hope,
confusion, wonder, joy, envy, courage, amusement, pity, hatred, trust,
doubt, grief, unfairness, abandon, rejection, pride, love, loneliness,
judgment, interested, confusion, peace, indifference, security,
compassion, gratitude?
This is not an exhaustive list but I wanted to emphasize the broad
spectrum of feelings and emotions. People often experience many of
these feelings throughout the day without necessarily being
consciously aware of what they are feeling, especially if they don’t
label it.
In order to illustrated this chapter I will share with you one of my
personal experience.
In order to illustrate the steps I have outlined in this chapter, I will

share with you one of my personal experiences. I remember one day
feeling quite odd and agitated. I soon realized I was dealing with
some emotional stuff that was bothering me. But I didn’t recognize
what I was feeling. I decide to go through this process since I was
feeling out-of-sorts and I needed to dissect my emotions. I identified
what I was feeling: angry and worried.
Very good; that’s the first step.
Acknowledge
I’m aware that I’m feeling angry and worried. I tell myself that there is
nothing wrong with feeling that way — these are two human feelings.
Acknowledging your emotions is the next step. Allow these emotions
to just be, and work to accept them. Notice what your are feeling and
know that this is absolutely alright to feel that way. Our goal is to go
through life feeling, experiencing and reacting to whatever is present
in each moment. Sometimes I tell patients that their emotions are a
rainbow of colours; we need all of the colours to make a rainbow and
to explore the vibrancy of life. Acknowledging your emotions is also
making a statement that it’s okay to feel the way that your do. It is
what is real for you right here, right now. Why attempt to deny and
escape reality? Why would we deny what we are feeling if that is how
we feel? Often it is because we feel unsafe having certain feelings,
especially if it wasn’t acceptable to express those feelings in our
family or at school when we were children. However, the fact is, this
is how you feel. You may be longing for happiness and joy, but
remember, all of the other emotions are equally as important. If you
want to see the entire rainbow, you need to get comfortable with all
the other colours.
Realize and understand that your emotions are not who you are. Do
not identify yourself with the emotions you are feeling. When you are
angry, you are not anger, you are simply feeling angry. You can be a
joyful person and yet sometimes feel regretful. Regret or anger are
not what you are, it is just what you feel at the present time.
Acknowledge your emotions, and be truthful to yourself about the
emotions you are experiencing right now.
Map
Mapping your emotions will take practice and honest awareness. It

involves understanding the source of your emotional reaction. You
notice that you are feeling this specific emotion because you reacted
to something that had just happened. What is it? What, in this
particular situation, triggered that emotion?
Sometimes we get caught up in life and only become aware of an

emotional reaction hours later. Perhaps you realize that you were
behaving in a way you would not normally behave. You have been
hijacked by your emotional reaction. Go back to the time you were
feeling that emotion. Recall the feelings and start to recognize,
acknowledge and map your reaction. Try to remember what was
going on for you at that specific moment. It is important to recognize,
acknowledge and map with as much detail as possible. Again, what
was happening in this situation minutes, hours or days ago that made
you feel that way? Even if doing this feel useless to you because it
happened days ago, the reality is that it is actually very important.
Why is it important? It is important because the way you were feeling
had dictated your response and made you behave a certain way for
minutes, hours or days. When you manage to understand why, you
get the power of behaving a different way sooner than if you didn’t
map your process.
The first time you do this process and understand that you reacted for
2 days because you were feeling jealous, the next time you recognize
the same reaction you can change your behaviour within 24 hours, or
even in few hours or possibly even minutes. You become yourself
again sooner. Practice is the key. If you were not able to do it at the
time of the reaction, it simply means you haven’t yet developed the
necessary skills to do so. Practice once you are safe, even if it is
hours or days later and allow yourself to get more comfortable with
the process. Eventually you will acquire stronger and faster skills.
Once you are skillful, you will feel safer to do it in the moment, as
soon as you experience your emotions.
If I go back to my personal example, where I am feeling angry and

worried, I now need to map my emotions. What has happened to me
to make me feel angry and worried?... I need to think back a few
minutes earlier when I was feeling fine and then retrace my emotions.
What triggered my worry? I simply checked my bank account and
realised I had less money than expected. As soon as I recall this, I
get it and I understand that I am not only feeling worried but also
ashamed. I am feeling ashamed that I don’t have more money in my
bank account. I understand that I am feeling ashamed, worried and
eventually angry but the source of my anger is my incapacity to deal
spontaneously with shame.
Inform
I need now to tell myself how I feel. I remember that moment I am
going through the process as I reached the subway station and even
though I was on my way to a meeting I decided to pause stop and
identify what I am feeling; I tell myself what emotion I feel. I sit down
and say out loud: “I am feeling ashamed.” A few minutes later on, I
told the friend I was meeting with my feeling of shame.
This is a very important step. You have felt, acknowledged and
mapped your emotions. Now it is time to express them. In this step,
you will be informing the people around you how you feel. Are you
feeling skeptical? You might be smiling but shaking your head as you
think about telling your boss how upset you feel. Or maybe you are
just giving up and thinking, “What’s the point!?” There is a good
chance you feel this way, especially if you are a teeth grinder.
Expression and communication are skills to be gained; the more you
practice the better you will get at it.
“I am feeling…”
There are two ways to inform: verbally and nonverbally. Nonverbal

can be a first step. I remember a patient having issues expressing his
frustration at work. These emotions were building up inside his
system, leading to huge discomfort and imbalance. I recommended
that he express his emotions in a nonverbal way. At work he would
stick a note on his computer screen that said, “I am feeling frustrated”
in his native language so his co-workers could not read it. Something
as simple as this seemed to helped him great deal. After deeper work
he was able to communicate better with his colleagues and boss, and
he eventually got a new position that he felt much happier about.
Expressing your emotional triggers involves tapping into vulnerability
and courage. Being vulnerable will make you a great communicator.
When you acknowledge your vulnerability you gather your energy into
the heart center (Heart Chakra). You remain open and more able to
engage in communication.
Another option, for example, is to have a plant on your desk that you
water each time you need to express your feelings. This way you
acknowledge your feelings and open up your compassion through
care. Compassion towards your plant is compassion towards
yourself. I had patients who used this tip and they found it very
helpful.
In partnership, having a nonverbal code to safely (and wordlessly)

inform your partner when you feel a bit off, is sometimes very
important. An idea can be a specific candle you light when you feel
off and need time to process before talking about it. It tells your
partner to give you the space and time to process. You will, once you
feel safer, communicate how you feel. Find your own unique way of
communicating. Be creative. Being creative is actually a big part of it.
Creativity is limitless.
Verbal communication is the second step. Verbalizing how we feel is

freeing. It frees your emotions and yourself. We ground our emotions
by making them audible. The vibration you create when you speak
makes our emotions more real and concrete. Before you articulate
how you feel, it is only you who know what is going on inside of you.
The dialogue happens in your head between you and yourself, it
remains in the world of thoughts. As soon as you start creating
vibrations when you speak already that emotion or energy is
released. It becomes audible and is not longer only in your head.
Verbalizing your emotions can be as simple as saying, “ I am feeling
…” This is it ! There is no need to say more. Just being able to say
these few words will have a big impact on your life and on the tension
in your jaw. I am taking the time to explain this process in detail
because teeth grinding has a lot to do with self expression. (refer to
Vishudha chapter)
Understand
We need to understand why we react a certain way before we

transcend our emotions. In the mapping section we saw that we are
not our emotions, but rather that we are just feeling them. Most of my
patients are only familiar with the idea of sadness and anger. My
experience working with people has shown me that those two
emotions, sadness and anger, are very often a result of a more
complicated emotional cascade. You may wish to go back to step one
in the first section on recognizing your emotions. Be curious and
explore the complexity of your emotional library.
Each individual may react differently or experience a different emotion

in response to the same situation. Why is this so? We all react to life
from a different perspective and a unique set of patterns. We
developed these patterns during our upbringing when we mirror our
parents, teachers, or other adults and friends around us. Our
memories make us react in a certain way. If we pause and look at the
situation exclusively from the present moment, we would likely react
differently. Also, the more involved we are in a situation the stronger
our emotional reaction will be; the more detached, the less impact.
Reach out to your higher self.
Whenever possible, try to view the situation from the perspective of

your higher self and observe how you are reacting. Understand what
it means to you and why a particular event has triggered these
emotions. See if you can understand what exactly it was that made
you feel this way. Understand that your are reacting according to old
patterns and that you have the power to change your patterns by
detaching yourself from your emotional reaction. This takes some
practice. Understand that your higher and wiser self is detached from
your ego and has capability of reacting differently. Whenever you
can, take the opportunity to listen to your higher self.
To illustrate this paragraph I am sharing with you my process of
dealing with shame. I now need to understand why checking my
banking account and realising I have less money than expected
triggered such feelings of shame. This is where awareness, honesty
and vulnerability are very important because I am about to face my
ego. Having less money than expected makes me feel worthless. My
ego tells me “if you don’t have enough money this is because you are
not working hard enough, you are lazy and you are spending too
much!” This is a mental construction, a debilitating emotional pattern
that has been with me for a long time.
Transcend
I now have the power to change this pattern by transcending my

emotions, by turning this energy labeled as shame into a more
positive uplifting and beneficial energy. I need to look at it from the
perspective of my higher self, a kinder self and tell myself, “You have
less money in your bank account because you had things pay for,
nevertheless you are a hardworking, courageous and open hearted
man. You are generous and investing a lots of effort time and money
in making other people’s life easier.” Soon after telling myself
mentally these comforting words I start to feel my chest relaxing my
jaw dropping and my breathing is calmer. My breathing is now
smooth and originates from my belly.
Thus far, you have recognized, acknowledged, mapped, informed

and understood your emotional reactions. Already you are in the
process of becoming less passive and you are strongly taking action
by using these emotional resources. Transcending your emotions
means transforming this stressful energy into a relaxing energy. This
step requires action. So far, in this process of managing your
emotions stress, you have been more static and passive, now
gradually with the last steps especially you are moving into action.
Use this emotional energy and transform it into a nourishing and
uplifting movement.
• Transform your guilt into pleasure and self care. You have the
right, and almost the duty to take care of yourself first and and
enjoy this fully.
• Transform your worry into generosity by giving unconditionally
to others and you will experience abundance in your life.
• Transform your anger into laughter. Laughing about a situation
that makes you angry will evoke your own power, and help
detach yourself from the outcome.
• Transform your shame into courage and perseverance. You
haven’t done anything wrong. Do not hurt yourself and do not
hide. Keep trying.
• Transform your sorrow into wisdom. Try to stop making things
complicated and understand that life has something to teach
you. This will help you to stop resisting what comes to you.
•Transform your grief into compassion. Feel compassion for
yourself and bring warmth into your being. Look around and
widen your gaze. Feel the compassion around you.
Now, I want to remind you that transcending your emotions is the final
phase of the process. This however is not the ultimate aim. You will
derive much of benefit by going through the entire process. The final
product, transcending, is great, but the process of each of the six
steps is even greater. It works best if you go through all of the steps.
The goal here is to help detach yourself from emotionally impairing
barriers like intense and ruminating thoughts. You might be tempted
to skip steps three, four and five (mapping, informing, understanding)
and attempt to transcend your emotions right after acknowledging
them. However, you would only get temporary relief and the residual
waste will energetically get stuck in your system. It is like eliminating
food right after eating it. If you are not digesting the food, how can
you expect to get the nutrients out of it? You would be lacking energy
and tempted to eat even more. This is the same with our emotions; if
you attempt to transcend your emotions immediately after you
acknowledge them, you may not get any energy out of it -the
equivalent to not getting energy from your undigested food- and you
will still crave a strong emotional reaction. If you skip steps three, four
and five, you are short-changing your natural emotional process. Your
energy will start gathering in your head, tension will built up in the
upper part of your body and this will lead to jaw tension. Remember
that step number four, informing, is important. By informing verbally
you open your mouth and jaw and in doing so, the stuck energy gets
released. This way, it will not stay trapped in your TMJ.
Be diligent, disciplined and persevering. Be true to yourself as you go

throughout the process. The more often you practice, like any other
workout, the more skillful you will become, and the more natural it will
seem to you. If you master your emotional process, you will then
allow yourself to release unnecessary tension in your jaw.
If I look back at my example, I realized that it isn’t the first time that I
am aware of my shame. The first time I generated this emotional
analyse around shame it took me about a week to complete the full
process with the help of a therapist. Having repeated this process
several times, it now takes me just minutes, or at the very most a
couple of hours to transcend this emotions. Just like a musician
rehearses to master a piece, training and perseverance always pays
off.
Energetic Approach: The
Chakras
Energy is the charge that is circulating in our system. As a result,
some areas of our body can hold more charge than others.
Depending on our level of activity, our stress level, our routine, and
mental activity, the energy charges in your system are constantly
shifting. If you walk or run, you will charge your feet, legs and pelvis.
If you are having sex, you are charging your genitals. If you are
reading or making intellectual effort, you are charging your head and
brain.
The more energy in your head, the more prone you are to teeth
grinding.
The more your head is charged, the more energy you will have in
your upper body, and the more prone you will be to grinding your
teeth. People with a tendency to overthink, overanalyze, or overstudy
are generating heat in their upper body. Heat and energy trapped in
the upper body can turn into teeth grinding.
Many of my patients started grinding their teeth at university. They

had to study a lot, usually sitting at a desk. When we sit at a desk for
hours, our lower body does not move and our lower body is energy
depleted. If we are studying a lot, we generate energy around the
brain and our upper body becomes overcharged.
It is necessity to move, walk, run or cycle, if we spend most of our

days sedentary in order to redistribute our body energy. I recommend
that you stand up and walk every thirty minutes. Stand up, go and get
some water and use the washroom. Switch to a stand-up desk. You
can also walk up and down the stairs a few times, or just stand up
and look out the window.
When we die, the first joint to relax after our final breath is the jaw.
Therefore releasing any tension in the jaw may be felt by our body as
a threat of death. After experiencing a psychological or physical
trauma, people with extreme fear of death tend to clench their teeth.
Whenever we face a fear, as big or little as it may be, our energy
moves from our lower body and up into the head. The charge in our
system moves up to the head and generates thoughts. The mind
takes control of the body. The mind starts to anticipate, trying to find a
solution. The mind often takes you to the worst-case scenario.
Imagine you are facing a bear or a crocodile; suddenly your energy
moves up to your head. If you start analyzing the situation, your
options and your chance of survival, how will the situation end? By
going into your head for a solution, you have left the present moment
and your body. You are now living in the past or the future in your
head. Your jaw is already clenched before you even notice it. You are
entering a fight or flight mode in order to survive. Your energy
remains in your head above the jawline. This is the natural direction
that your energy flows as a result of a stressful situation. Muscle
tension follows the energy current. When your energy converges
towards your head, so does your muscle tension. Your shoulders
tense up, your neck stiffens, as do your jaw muscles (the masseter
and temporalis). This happens within a matter of seconds. Now
imagine how your body reacts when you live in constant stress.
Vishudha Chakra
The jaw is also very close to the throat area. The throat area is a very
important energy center. Yogic tradition and Ayurvedic medicine call
these major energy centers, the chakras. Ideally, energy should be
able to circulate from one energy center to another, from one chakra
to another. Some of our chakra are strong, some are weaker. It
means their capacity to handle a certain amounts of energy varies;
they are able to contain more or less energy. Besides being strong or
weak, some chakras are open and some are closed. This dictates our
ability to let energy in or out, and the ease with which it circulates
throughout the body. In my understanding and research, teeth
grinding relates mostly to two major chakras: the perineum or first
chakra, and the throat or fifth chakra.
Center for self expression.
The throat chakra or fifth chakra is related to self expression,

creativity and recognition in the world. The name of this chakra is
Vishuddha, which means purification. The symbol is a turquoise
flower with sixteen petals. Sixteen is the number of vowels in the
Sanskrit alphabet (the old language of India). Vishuddha is related to
sound. Sounds are subtle energies. They are the first materialization
of our thoughts and consciousness. Vishuddha is located in the throat
where the vocal cords vibrate. This is where we articulate our words
and where we generate our self-expression. This is where we can
communicate and interact with others. Beyond the meanings of the
words, our vocal cords are vibrating to express emotions and add
intention to our words. I am often amazed by the multiple ways
humans have to communicate. When you think about how many
languages and dialects exist on earth, there are so many different
ways we have to express ourselves. There are simple but unlimited
combinations of different sounds.
The throat chakra is located close to the thyroid gland. The thyroid is
an important gland in our hormonal system. Some health practitioners
refer to the throat energy center as the source of our dreams and
memory. Many of my patients on thyroid medication report that their
memory is less accurate when their thyroid hormones are low. They
also mention that they fumble with their words and have difficulty
finding the right words when their thyroid hormones are low. This
shows how much our thyroid action and function has an impact on
our communication skills.
Physically, the neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body
and also the narrowest. It is actually the area that most predators
target first. This is how people are sometimes killed, either by
hanging or decapitation. An efficient way to take life away from a
living body is by cutting a throat. It is indeed a very vulnerable energy
center and fragile physical part of our body.
Yoga tradition describes Vishuddha as a powerful energy center. This

is because words and sounds are powerful tools. How many times
have you felt powerless because you could not express yourself? A
strong throat chakra allows you to freely express yourself and your
inner power. Any tension that builds up inside your throat chakra will
tighten up your jaw muscles. The main reason we open our mouth is
either to eat or to speak. If speaking is prevented, the jaw locks and
the teeth start grinding. Jaw tension can mean that something needs
to be said or has trouble getting out.
Telling lies weakens your throat chakra, trapping authentic energy

within your throat. Lying is denying your personal power. It diminishes
your true self. It is believing that if you tell your truth you would be
harmed, rejected or unloved. It is twisting yourself and generating
conflict into your being. How many times did you feel good about
yourself when you were able to express yourself? How many times
did you feel proud of yourself because you found the right words?
Exercises to unlock trapped energy around the throat chakra are

singing, chanting and humming. Pranayama exercise like Jalandhara
bandha or Ujjayi pranayama are very efficient. Please refer to the
chapter “Releasing tension around the head”, Throat exercises
section.
Healthy communication strengthens the Vishuddha chakra and this

starts with healthy listening. We need to listen twice as much as we
speak. This why we have two ears and only one mouth. Listening to
someone with 100% of your focus is different from listening to your
internal dialogue as your interlocutor is speaking. Practice active
listening by bringing your entire focus to the conversation, listening
carefully as if what you are hearing is the most important thing you
have ever heard. You want to catch each of the words, each of the
sounds and intonations. Wait for your interlocutor to finish his or her
sentence; do not interrupt.
If you need to answer, first pause, gather your thoughts, empty your
voice of any emotional reaction, and then speak. Some retreats are
based on silence; it is a discipline to only listen without speaking at all
for days or months. The aim is not to weaken a person’s self
expression, it is more so to teach careful listening skills without
engaging in emotional reaction. It is to clear the mind before
communicating. By adopting this behaviour, the quality of your
communication will reflect and influence the authenticity of the person
you are talking to.
As I mentioned before, the throat chakra is where sounds emerge

from our body. Listening to sound is an amazing exercise I often
suggest patients try. It is very simple. It is basically listening to the
sound of the wind, the sound in the streets, the sound of the
branches and rain on the window. It means shifting your focus. The
same applies when you listen to someone speak on the TV, radio or
while watching a presentation. Listen to the sounds generated by his
or her voice. Do not focus on the words but on the sounds. Give it a
try! Many of my patients report it to be a very calming exercise. It
shifts your focus and also disengages the mind from the discussion.
Do not be afraid if you miss some of the content of the interaction.
You will get the core idea, and also realize that some people speak
much more than what is necessary. You will also get a sense of the
real meaning hidden behind words. Many patients also report that this
calming exercise helps them greatly relax their jaw. You may also
notice that the pitch and the fullness of a person’s voice changes
according to the importance they place on what they are saying.
Wearing a necklace or necklaces also empowers your throat chakra.

Wearing jewels around your neck beautifies your body and brings
attention towards your throat. People will tend to listen more to what
you are saying as their attention is drawn to the throat area.
In some traditional tribal societies, children are not given a name until
many years after birth. This goes back to a time when not every child
survived the first few years of their existence. Once they had reached
a certain age a ceremony took place where they were given a name
or they chose a name for themselves. By giving them a name, the
tribe acknowledged them as part of the group. During these
ceremonies they were given a name and a necklace which served as
a symbol of recognition and affiliation. We still find similar rituals
nowadays when kids are given medals or a religious sign to wear
around their neck. Some people who are on a spiritual path or quest
decide to take a different name as a milestone on their journey; a sign
of rebirth. Wear your name with pride. It is part of your human identity,
part of your lineage. It is not your higher identity but a way you can
communicate and interact with your peers.
So there you understand the importance of having an empowered
throat chakra, vishuddha chakra. The importance to speak up your
truth, stand up for your ground release any unspoken words, and get
rid of any unnecessary TMJ tensions.
Muladhara Chakra
The other chakra involved in bruxism is the perineum chakra, also
known as the first chakra. The name of this chakra is Muladhara,
which means “root “. Just as trees have roots to stay grounded in the
earth, we humans need to stay in touch with the ground as well.
Physically, this seems natural because of the earth’s gravitational
pull, but energetically it requires a conscious effort. This involves
being connected with reality, with our body’s needs and pace. The
symbol of Muladhara is a lotus with four petals, like the four cardinal
directions: east, south, west and north. It is a symbol of concrete
reality. Some people often get disconnected from reality; this is often
a sign of first chakra energy depletion or blocked energy. The Kegel
exercise is an efficient way of releasing any blocked energy on the
lower chakra (Refer to the pelvis exercises). Muladhara is about
satisfying your physical need for shelter, water, food, safety and body
hygiene. When you look at Maslow’s pyramid, humans need to fulfill
basic physical needs, otherwise we experience extreme fear. Fear is
the emotion that triggers tension in the pelvis and, as you already
know, there is an intimate relationship between the pelvis and the
jaw. Therefore, these fear based tensions translate up to the jaw.
Air, shelter, water, food, and sex are the basic needs we must satisfy
to overcome a survival state. If one of them is not fulfilled, we will be
in a state of general and intense stress and on an unconscious level
our hips, pelvis and jaw will tighten. Sometimes lack of sex or too
many sexual thoughts can cause general and intense pelvic tension.
Remember when human beings die and take their last breath, the
first joint to relax is the jaw, therefore releasing any tension in the jaw
can be felt by our body as a threat of death.
Muladhara is also about connecting with the earth, matter, and

meeting matter and physic laws. Working with our hands and moving
our body by doing physical activity within our body’s limits is
nourishing for this chakra (chapter stress management).
Respect the body’s limit by slowing down, and respect your age,
pace, finances etc. The mind and the body often desire a different
pace. If you close your eyes you can imagine that you are on a beach
with warm sand, listening to the sound of the waves; within a minute
you can travel to the seaside. Or within a minute you can be on the
top of a mountain and enjoying an endless view. If you physically
want to go to the beach or climb a mountain, you will have to take
your body there and that takes effort, money and time. This example
is to show you that the pace and perspective between your mind and
body is different. To release tension and allow the energy to circulate
freely in and out of the Muladhara chakra, we need to acknowledge
our body and its restrictions, limits, pace and access to finances.
Indeed, managing a budget and being relaxed around money is
necessary to eliminate pelvic and jaw tension. Many of my male
patients who grind their teeth feel financial stress. As soon as they
start sorting out their finances their stress level drops, as does their
jaw.
It is interesting to me to work with new immigrants. Indeed most new

immigrants report having a phase of teeth grinding after moving to a
new country. Landing in a new country, having to find shelter, work,
money, a place to purchase food, etc —all of these are basic needs
for human beings. This is the base of Maslow’s pyramid. New
immigrants enter a state of survival. Additionally, if they immigrate to
a foreign language country their expression is limited, hence they are
unable to express themselves fully. The two situations combined
typically creates a tendency towards bruxism.
Children and Teeth Grinding
When it comes to children, there are few things that require
investigation. First, is there an adult in the child’s life who is grinding
their teeth? Children often mimic adults. If one parent or family
member is grinding their teeth, the child might mirror the adult.
Depending on the age of the child, you can check his or her
swallowing pattern and teach them to swallow properly. (chapter
saliva)
We need to remember that children are sponges — whatever is going

on around them is felt by the child. If there is any tension within the
household, the child will feel it. If there is any tension around the
basic needs of shelter, money or food, the child will feel it and start
grinding its teeth. (read Muladhara chapter). If there is an unspoken
issue within the family, the child’s ability to express itself is limited and
tension builds up in his or her throat area. (read Vishudha chapter)
If there is a lack of creativity and artistic opportunity, the child may

express this lack by grinding his or her teeth. Try to map what is
going on in the household or family, and talk to your child as if he or
she is a mature person. Express yourself and how you feel about a
given situation. (refer to manage your emotional stress). Children are
receptive to sounds and emotions. Even if some words or notions are
complicated or foreign to them, they will feel what you are expressing.
Try also to map what was going on in the family at the time your child
started to grind its teeth. Was it after a move? Moving can trigger
some fear and tension. Help your child to settle in by encouraging
him or her to decorate their new room. This will help children feel they
are in their own safe space. Perhaps the teeth grinding started after a
death in the family. Help your child with the grieving process by
expressing your feelings in front of them, and encourage them to
express theirs. Do some artwork to deal with the loss. Find your own
way to grieve and complete the relationship with the person who has
passed away. Was it after an illness? Sickness can trigger some fear
in your child’s body. Remind your children that they are safe and that
they are going to be healthy again. Was it after a divorce? Divorce
can also be source of tension. Be wise and tell your children why you
decided to separate at a level that they can understand so they don’t
blame themselves, and let them know that both parents love them
very much. Things will change on a daily basis but help them know
that they are still safe, heard, loved and taken care of.
Some children start to grind their teeth once breastfeeding has

stopped. The separation from the nourishing parent can trigger some
anxiety. Food needs are not fulfilled in the same way and this can be
felt by the child as a threat. When children start daycare the
separation can be difficult. Do artwork with your children or actively
communicate to express the separation to overcome any debilitating
side effects. Some homeopathic remedies like pulsatilla or arsenicum
album may be considered. Consult an homeopath before taking any
homeopathic remedy.
Night Guard
Many of my patients diagnosed with bruxism were prescribed or
recommended a night guard. There are plenty of different products
available on the market and it is sometimes difficult to decide which
one is best for you. I would begin by looking at the material the night
guard is made of. Make sure it is BPA free (Bisphenol-A free).
Phthalates are another chemical often present in night guards. Both
BPA and phthalates can have an impact on hormone levels. The last
one is MMA (Methyl Methacrylate); research on the toxicity of MMA
tends to show a risk of irritation from MMA exposure.
The hardness of the night guard is also an aspect to consider. A hard

inflexible night guard can potentially create more tension in your
mouth and can lead to even more bruxism. A soft contact with the
gums feels better. Some hardness between the teeth is required to
prevent damage, however the contact with the gums should be very
gentle. On the other hand a soft mouth guard can be too spongy and
can cause a person to clench even more.
The line between the two maxillaries (see Anatomy) — between the
two front incisors — is a line of movement. A light, almost
imperceivable movement happens. Your night guard should allow this
movement by having some flexibility. Flexibility in the center line is
required, according to the osteopathic point of view.
One also needs to consider a custom-made versus non-custom-

made night guard. There is of course a question of budget. A custom-
made guard that fits your teeth perfectly is preferable if the teeth do
not feel pressure. Each tooth is slightly mobile and makes micro-
movements, therefore there should be enough space to
accommodate this. Non-custom night guards usually allow for this
movement but they can also be too loose. My recommendation is to
start with a non-custom-made guard because they are usually less
expensive, and then potentially upgrade to a more tailored one if
necessary.
When should you wear your night guard? Obviously at night, however
it is like wearing new shoes; you want to start gradually. Wear your
night guard throughout the day, first for few minutes and then for a
few hours over the course of a week or two before wearing it for the
whole night. You will get accustomed to it and prepare your mouth,
tongue, gums and teeth to be supported by the guard.
Wash and clean your night guard every day using mouthwash or
simply water and toothpaste. Remember you change shoes so you
will eventually need to change your night guard too.
Summary
In this book I have attempted to give you a comprehensive
understanding of the root causes of bruxism, the interconnectedness
of all areas of the body, and strategies to restore balance in your
system. A mouth guard in a temporary solution but it is like a
bandage. A mouth guard will not address the connection between the
pelvis and the jaw, and nor will it correct the structural, energetic or
emotional causes of teeth grinding. A multidisciplinary approach with
different qualified and experienced practitioners is often required to
fully understand the complexity of teeth grinding.
In order to implement you own bruxism healing plan, I have

summarized the key points that I have outlined in this book:
★ Local muscle tension and massage

★ Proper swallowing
★ Tongue position behind the front top incisors
★ Proper breathing generated from the belly
★ Pelvic tension, Yoga and kegel exercises
★ Diet, low sugar
★ Exercising, regularly and within your body limits
★ Mental hygiene, body scan, meditation
★ Emotional well-being, properly process your emotions
★ Throat exercise, Jalandhara Bandha, Ujjayi pranayama
★ Express your creativity
★ Fulfill your basic needs
★ Get out of your fears
★ Consider a proper night guard
★ Feel safe in your body.
Thank you.
Bibliography
APND, Doula training, Toronto 2014
BECKER, Lucy, Oli Program workshop, Toronto, 2012
CAMERON, Julia, The Artist’s Way, Tarcher Penguin
JAMES, John W. & FRIEDMAN, Russel, The Grief Recovery

Handbook, Morrow
JUDITH, Anodea, PhD, Eastern Body Western Mind, Celestial Arts
JUDITH, Anodea Ph.D, Wheels of life, Celestial Arts.
LOVE, Patricia, Ed.D. & STOSNY, Steven Ph.D, How to improve your
marriage without talking about it, Broadway
MAURIN, Nicole, Rééducation de la déglutition, Ortho Edition
MERGUI, André, Cours sur l’ostéopathie dentaire, CIDO, 2009
NETTER, Frank H. MD, Atlas of Human Anatomy, Saunders Elsevier
RICARD, Matthieu, L’art de la méditation, Pocket évolution
SIMKIN, Penny, The Birth Partner, Harvard Common Press
TAMURA, Michael J., You are the answer, Llewellyn

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Stop Grinding Your Teeth!

A holistic approach to Bruxism.

Illustrations © Paula Solano

To my partner Elodie and to my family, thank you for the

Teeth grinding, bruxism, is a complex issue. It is often an

It has been quite illuminating to collaborate with Dr. Malval

Bruxism appears to be increasing across the North American

I am passionate about human anatomy and physiology, science and

Dental osteopathy has always been an interest for me. As part of my

Additionally, I had the privilege of being mentored by Christine Perez,

After moving to Canada I joined the Schecter dental office in Toronto.

This book aims to give you a holistic understanding of teeth grinding

A biorhythm animates the entire cranium. This biorhythm is partially

With a complete assessment of the posture, the arches of the feet,

This chapter aims to give you an overview of the basic anatomy of

Head and Jaw

How to feel our mastication muscles?

The second part of our nervous system is automatic, which means it

The other mode of our autonomic nervous system increases our

The human body is organized around three major spheres - the

Massage therapists are trained to do mouth internal massage. Check

Saliva is an indispensable fluid for digestion. It begins the process of

Swallowing Saliva: The Primary Approach to Releasing Jaw Tension

• Now open your mouth by half an inch. Your lips

Humans swallow saliva about 2000 times a day.

If we swallow the wrong way — just like a nursing baby — we exert

Shortly after babies stop nursing they should be able to switch to

Sit in a comfortable position. Although you can do this exercise lying

How Do We Physically Strengthen the Throat Muscle?

This is an exercise I have borrowed from the practice of yoga. In

To do this exercise, sit in a very comfortable position with your back

Be aware of your limits. If you feel dizzy or unwell during the

Pranayamas are breathing exercises aimed at stimulating the subtle

Sit in a very comfortable position on a chair or on the floor, according

The purpose of Ujjayi Pranayama is to breath in and out on a closed

A friend of mine who worked as a dental office receptionist was able

Train your Breath, Release Tension.

“Breathing has an impact on the autonomic nervous system.”

Osteopathic or chiropractic pelvic assessment might be required

Regular stretching can be recommended. See the yoga section for

Mammals giving birth yawn during delivery.

It is important to search in your medical and health records for any

I remember giving a lecture on this topic to a group of women. By

The first kegel exercise:

Sit comfortably, focusing your attention on your pelvic floor, and

The first kegel exercise:

The second kegel exercise:

As we mentioned in previous chapters, TMJ tension is very much

The Dura Mater

Accident or emotional shock can stiffen the dura mater.

Sometimes during a physical accident or a strong emotional shock,

Craniosacral therapy is a branch of osteopathy that focuses on

Blood sugar is connected to stress level.

In our body, sugar is either in our blood vessels or in our cells as a

Teeth grinding can also be related to a lack of magnesium.

Make a difference between limits and laziness.

The amount of exercise each person requires is very individual.

By moving and exercising your muscles in order to produce energy,

We already know how breathing is connected to our stress level.

Be kind to your body.

Practise mental hygiene.

Meditation is not an effort; it is a state of being. Anyone with a strong

Perhaps your body is restless and prevents you from practicing

How to Break Down Debilitating Emotional Patterns: