Went to the dentist for my six month cleaning today, and at one point I had to laugh while the doctor had the tools in my mouth. He asked me if I had been having issues or pain in my jaw lately, like when chewing. I told him that sometimes my jaw does hurt but that it was more like the muscles of my jaw were tired sore. He nodded and said he figured as much, as it is obvious to him that I have begun grinding my teeth at night. This is one symptom/cause of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD), that’s not what made me laugh, I then asked him what could have caused this to which he replied “One of the best sources that we have the most physical evidence for is stress. Have you had an increase in stress in your life lately?”, that is what made me laugh. The office is going to see if my insurance will cover a bite splint to wear while sleeping and to help prevent me from grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw.