Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Grinding of teeth

Aconitum Napellus 

Common Name: Monkshood 

Symptoms: It is widely indicated in anger, a state of fear, physical and mental restlessness and sudden, violent invasion with fever. These patients do not like being touched. They also experience symptoms like -

• Extreme fear of death
• Increased restlessness
• Heaviness of head with bursting sensation
• Inflamed eyes that feel hot and dry
• Dryness and numbness of mouth
• Swollen tongue with a white coating
• Constant movement of the jaw
• Symptoms improve in open air, while they worsen in the evening, in a warm room, at night and by lying on the affected side.

Hyoscyamus Niger

Common Name: Henbane (hyoscyamas)

Symptoms: This remedy has a marked effect on the nervous system and is suited for individuals with a quarrelsome nature. These patients are very talkative, immodest in gestures and expressions, jealous and are afraid of being poisoned. They also complain of other symptoms like -

• Toxic gastritis
• Very suspicious in nature
• Inclination to laugh at everything
• Light-headedness
• Unconsciousness due to inflammation of brain
• Dry, cracked, red tongue that is stiff and difficult to protrude
• Teeth covered with sordes (a crust that covers the teeth)
• Dryness of throat leading to difficulty in chewing
• Convulsions with vomiting of blood
• Sleeplessness at night
• These symptoms aggravate at night, after eating and while lying down, but improve on stooping

Cannabis Indica

Common Name: Hashish

Symptoms: It is indicated in conditions where all perceptions, conceptions, sensations and emotions are exaggerated to an extreme level. The patient commonly exhibits a dual nature or subconscious state where one nature keeps a check over the other. It characteristically produces hallucinations and imaginations, with exaggeration of duration of time and extent of space. These patients also experience other symptoms like -

• Forgetfulness and inability to complete sentences
• Uncontrollable laughter
• Involuntary shaking of head
• Buzzing and ringing in ears
• Drowsiness with dry lips and mouth
• Grinding of teeth at night
• Symptoms worsen with liquor, coffee, tobacco, in the morning and by lying on the right side, while they get better with rest, cold water and from fresh air

Cina Maritima

Common Name: Worm-seed (cina)

Symptoms: This is mainly a children’s remedy for intestinal irritation and other related problems. It is indicated in patients with increased irritation, varying appetite, grinding of teeth and convulsions along with screaming and violent jerking of hands and feet. Those who benefit from this remedy also experience -

• Headache relieved by stooping
• Dilated pupils with yellow vision
• Pulsation of the superciliary muscle
• Itching of nose, with an urge to rub it all the time
• Gritting of teeth while sleeping
• Dark rings around the eyes
• Sleeping on the abdomen and getting on hands and knees in sleep
• Screaming while asleep
• Children waking up frightened and screaming aloud due to terrifying dreams at night
• Symptoms are aggravated by worms, at night, in summer and by staring at an object

Podophyllinum

Common Name: May-apple (podophyllum)

Symptoms: This remedy is indicated for patients with gastrointestinal diseases, colicky pain and vomiting of bile. This medicine mainly acts on the duodenum, small intestine, liver and rectum. These patients also experience the following symptoms -

• Being in low spirits
• Watery stools with mucus
• Characteristic grinding of teeth at night
• Increased desire to press the gums together
• Burning sensation of tongue
• Symptoms worsen in the early hours of morning, in hot weather and during teething

Mygale Lasiodora

Common Name: Black Cuban spider

Symptoms: It is similar to other spider preparations and is used to treat weakness, palpitations, fear and nervousness. These patients are very restless, sad and fear death. They also complain of -

• Twitching of facial muscles
• Hot and flushed face
• Dryness of tongue
• Grating of teeth at night
• Increased thirst with loss of appetite
• These symptoms worsen in the morning and are better during sleep
• Belladonna

Common Name: Deadly nightshade

Symptoms: Belladonna is known to treat mental and physical symptoms which are of violent nature. These symptoms come and go quickly, with intense pains, extremely high fever and bright redness of a part which quickly turns to bluish-red or purple. Other symptoms experienced are -

• Dryness of mouth
• Dislike for water
• Convulsions, epileptic episodes followed by nausea and vomiting
• Facial neuralgia with muscle twitching
• Throbbing pain of teeth
• Grinding of teeth
• Swollen and painful tongue
• Seeing frightful images in dreams
• The symptoms worsen on touch, in the noon and on lying down, while they improve in a semi-erect position
• Mercurius Proto Iodatus

Common Name: Green iodide of mercury

Symptoms: This remedy is indicated in patients suffering from sleeplessness, frightful dreams of coffins and drowning and nightmares. These patients also experience other symptoms like -

• Faintness and feeling better on lying down
• Increased fatigue of limbs while lying on left side, better by lying on right side
• Dryness of mouth, lips and throat
• Teeth that feel elongated
• Pain in molars that worsens on bringing them together
• Grinding of teeth, with a desire to constantly keep them pressed
• Soreness of jaw muscles on waking up due to clenching of teeth during sleep
• Stiffness of jaws
• Helleborus Niger

Common Name: Snow-rose (helleborus)

Symptoms: It is the remedy of choice in cases of sensorial depression where the patient sees, hears and tastes imperfectly. They also experience increased muscle weakness which may lead to paralysis. Thus, it is a remedy for serious illnesses. Patients also exhibit symptoms like -

• Complete state of unconsciousness
• Severe headache, moaning and screaming 
• Squinting
• Night blindness
• Reduced sense of smell
• Neuralgia of the left side which is so severe that patient cannot chew
• Bad smell from the mouth
• Dryness of lips and tongue
• Dropping of lower jaw
• Grinding of teeth
• Sudden screaming in sleep
• Symptoms are aggravated from evening until morning and by uncovering
• Santoninum

Common Name: Santonin

Symptoms: It is mainly indicated in worm diseases, gastric irritation, restlessness while sleeping and twitching of muscles. Among the worm diseases, it is used for Ascaris lumbricoides (round worms) and thread worms but not for tapeworms. Those who benefit from this remedy also experience the following symptoms -

• Night cough in children
• Reduced appetite
• Deep red tongue
• Grinding of teeth
• Nausea
• Zincum Metallicum

Common Name: Zinc 

Symptoms: It is indicated in the phase of depression due to certain diseases, convulsions along with pale face and reduced counts of red blood cells. It is also used in the treatment of long-standing diseases with brain and spinal symptoms, convulsive movements, twitching and trembling. Patients also experience the following symptoms -

• Weakened memory
• Coldness of forehead but the base of brain is hot
• Squinting
• Increased lachrymation (tear formation)
• Bleeding of gums with loose teeth
• Gnashing of teeth
• Blisters on the tongue
• Screaming aloud at night without being aware of it
• Waking up frightened 

Since homeopathy involves the use of medicines with the smallest amount of the active ingredient, any other substance in the diet having medicinal properties may cause an obstacle in the line of treatment. Hence, certain dietary changes along with lifestyle modifications are necessary for effective homeopathic treatment.

Do’s:

• Wear cotton instead of linen garments in warm weather.
• Being physically active by doing regular exercises and taking appropriate non-medicinal foods can help with faster healing in chronic cases.
• In acute cases, patients show a desire for certain foods and drinks. Gratifying these desires may only pose a slight obstacle in the radical removal of disease. Hence, it is advised to gratify the patient’s desires without refusing or persuading any food or drink.

Don’ts: 

• Avoid beverages like herb tea, coffee and liquors or beer with medicinal spices. 
• Avoid spicy dishes, soups and sauces made of onions, celery, meat and old cheese having medicinal qualities.
• Do not store these medicines near perfumes, camphor, ether or other volatile products, as they neutralise the effect of the medicines.
• Sedentary lifestyle and uncleanliness must be avoided.

Homeopathy uses natural substances that stimulate the person’s innate immunity to recover from the condition and improve overall health. 

According to a case report, an 8-year-old male child with bruxism was given a combined homeopathic therapy of phytolacca decandra and melissa officinalis for a period of 2 months. Grinding of teeth and related symptoms, such as nail biting and nightmares, completely disappeared after this treatment. After a 2-year follow-up, the patient reported no recurrence of grinding of teeth. Thus, homeopathic treatment was shown to be effective in treating bruxism and its associated symptoms.

Homeopathic remedies are derived from natural sources; hence, they are completely safe compared to conventional medications. They can be prescribed to people of all ages, including babies and pregnant women, without any risk of side effects. Furthermore, homeopathic remedies can be taken along with other medications, as there are no reported risks of drug interactions or ill effects.[19] The Health Technology Assessment reported homeopathic medicines to be safe under professional application. If applied properly, classical homeopathy has very little risk of side effects and is free from toxic effects.

Grinding of teeth is a sleep-related disorder which is centrally mediated. Although it is not a life-threatening disorder, it can impact a person’s quality of life by causing problems such as tooth pain, damaged teeth, jaw pain and headaches. The first step to treatment is recognising that you have the condition. If you have symptoms of jaw fatigue, soreness of teeth or gums or temporal headache on awakening in the morning or if you have been told that you clench or grind your teeth in your sleep, then you should discuss it with your dentist or doctor. The treatment is based on the cause and severity of the condition. Conventional treatment options include dental appliances, behavioural therapy and medications. Homeopathy can safely and effectively treat this condition in a rapid manner, when given with or without conventional treatment. It can specifically help deal with the stress or anxiety which are the leading reasons why grinding of teeth occurs.