Mouth guard style gum splint used for TMJ pain relief

I finally got my first gum splint fitted by my NHS dentist last Tuesday, and I remember feeling so hopeful walking out of that appointment. It felt like I was finally doing something about the grinding, the clicking, the constant tension in my jaw.

That hope didn’t last long.

One night in and my gums were already in bits. Blistered, sore, and honestly far more painful than I had expected. The splint itself is a clear plastic guard fitted to my bottom teeth. My dentist had given me the choice between top or bottom, and at the time choosing the bottom felt like the more comfortable option. Now, I’m not so sure. I keep wondering if choosing the top would have made any difference at all, or if I’d still be dealing with the same pain.

I have ground my teeth for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I shared a room with my younger sister and she used to complain constantly that I kept her awake at night with the noise. Back then it felt like one of those annoying habits you don’t really think too much about. But it didn’t stop as I got older. Now it’s my husband who has to listen to it, and I honestly feel quite grateful that I can’t hear it myself.

Over the past couple of years, things started to change. My jaw began clanking more, a horrible, loud clicking that I couldn’t ignore. Sometimes it would get stuck and I couldn’t open my mouth properly unless I forced it with a stretch. At the time I didn’t fully connect all of it.

It was only when I went to the doctor with earache that things started to make more sense. He referred me for a hearing test, which came back completely fine. But during the consultation, he asked about my jaw. I remember being surprised. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that the two could be related.

When I told him about the clanking, he examined my jaw, asked me to open my mouth, and then asked if I was a teeth grinder. When I said yes, everything seemed to click into place. He explained that it wasn’t actually earache I was dealing with. It was my jaw joints. Because they sit so close to the ears, the pain can feel exactly like an ear problem. Apparently it’s really common.

He sent me away with information about teeth grinding and told me to see my dentist.

My dentist agreed that a splint could help, but because of how pronounced the clicking was and how limited my jaw movement had become, she referred me to an orthodontist at the hospital first. And then came the waiting. Eight months of it.

When the appointment finally came through, it felt like a small win. The orthodontist confirmed that I should go ahead with the splint and advised me to rest my jaw as much as possible. Softer foods, avoiding chewing gum, steering clear of anything tough or hard. He also suggested anti-inflammatory cream on the joints and taking ibuprofen when needed.

So I went back to my dentist. They took a mould of my bottom teeth, which was an experience in itself. I even managed to accidentally bite the dentist, which I’m still embarrassed about. A week later, I went back to have the splint fitted.

I remember feeling relieved. Like this was the start of things improving.

That first night proved otherwise.

I woke up in the middle of the night with intense gum pain. Taking the splint out was slow and painful, and it was obvious I had been grinding against it. The edges had rubbed into my gums on both sides, leaving them cut and sore. There was no way I could put it back in, so I left it out for the rest of the night.

The next day, I told my mum how sore my gums were, and she suggested using Bonjela before putting the splint in. That did help a bit. It took the edge off enough to get it in place, and once it was in, it felt manageable. I’ve now managed a few nights wearing it all the way through, but my gums are still so sore the next day.

I keep telling myself this is just like breaking in a new pair of shoes. That my mouth will adjust, that my gums will toughen up, that eventually this will feel normal. I really want it to work.

Because underneath all of this is the hope that it might help ease the grinding. That maybe the clicking will calm down. That maybe I won’t have to deal with this getting worse.

Right now, though, I’m in that uncomfortable in-between stage. Trying to stick with it, even though it hurts. Trying to trust the process, even when it feels discouraging.

If you wear a splint, I would genuinely love to know how you got on with it in the beginning. Did it take time to adjust? Did it get easier?

Or if you’ve found other ways to manage grinding and jaw pain, I’m all ears.

Because right now, I’m determined to make this work. Even if it’s a bit of a rocky start.