Let’s first understand that there are two ways we normally look at self-esteem. There’s the superficial aspect of self-esteem, which relates to how we feel about our appearance or how others perceive ourselves—like feeling attractive or handsome. Then, there’s the deeper aspect of self-esteem, which involves feeling worthy, believing in your abilities, and trusting yourself on a deeper level.

Chronic Teeth Grinding and Pseudo Self-Esteem

For many people with bruxism or chronic teeth grinding, it affects their superficial self-esteem because prolonged grinding can misalign your jaw. In some cases, it can even cause facial changes like puffy cheeks, which can affect how you perceive your own appearance. This can lead to feelings of not being attractive or not looking like your usual self, impacting your sense self-esteem.

When your appearance is affected, you might shy away from social situations, dating, or seeking relationships because you feel insecure about your looks. This outer level of self-esteem is tied to how you see yourself physically, not just how others see you.

Low Self-Esteem from Underlying Issues

On a deeper level, chronic teeth grinding often stems from underlying issues such as a fear of expressing yourself. This fear can result from childhood experiences where you weren’t encouraged to voice your opinions or felt neglected emotionally. Holding back these emotions can lead to jaw tension and chronic teeth grinding over time.

This fear of self-expression can significantly lower your self-esteem because, at its core, self-esteem is about feeling worthy and valuing yourself deeply. If you’ve never felt validated or heard in expressing yourself, you might develop beliefs that you’re not worthy or that your voice doesn’t matter. This internalized belief system affects how you perceive yourself, not just how others perceive you.

Addressing the root causes of chronic teeth grinding involves more than just fixing the physical symptoms. It requires working through these deeper emotional issues that contribute to low self-esteem. Some people with low self-esteem may compensate by focusing excessively on their appearance or seeking external validation. They might spend on cosmetic surgeries or treatments like Botox to enhance their looks, hoping it will improve their self-esteem.

However, true self-esteem comes from within, not from external appearances or validation from others. It’s about believing in yourself and your worth regardless of your physical appearance. You might still grind your teeth or have facial changes, but with improved self-esteem, you’ll handle these issues with less concern for others’ opinions.

Remember, focusing solely on improving your appearance won’t solve the root problem of low self-esteem. It’s about understanding why these issues worsen and addressing those underlying emotional needs. This approach can lead to genuine self-confidence and a healthier perspective on self-worth.

I hope you found this explanation helpful. Feel free to share your experiences with teeth grinding and self-esteem. Remember, the key is not to obsess over appearance but to work on understanding and improving your self-perception.

Note from the Author

If you’re ready and you’d like my help with overcoming chronic teeth grinding and clenching habits for Improved Oral Health and Reduced Stress, then you can book a FREE BREAKTHROUGH CALL with me HERE. Happy healing 💙💙. Feel free to share and comment! Use this information with caution, it comes from my own thoughts & bias, experiences and research😊. Disclaimer: I am not a Dentist, but a therapist specializing in offering support and guidance in addressing the psychological factors contributing to bruxism.