Teeth, Clenching, & CNS Tension: What You’re Missing

Unreal Results for Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers

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In this episode of the Unreal Results podcast, I unpack how something as small as a single tooth can ripple through the entire nervous system and impact everything from movement quality to emotional regulation.

You’ll hear my traumatic dental experience that helped me understand how clenching patterns are tied to much more than the jaw. Clenching isn’t just a bad habit, it’s a signal from the brainstem, often tied to unresolved stress, nervous system dysregulation, and patterns we’re not trained to look for.

I discuss how stress, fear, and past procedures can affect cranial nerve input, especially through the trigeminal nerve, as well as the role of the reticular activating system and the tentorium play in influencing full-body tone. I also talk about why I’m cautious with dental work during an athlete’s season, what to look for in clients who might be clenching, and how you can support the system with simple tools or even just listening better to what the body is trying to say.

If you’ve never considered how a tooth, or the nervous system's response to it, might be impacting your client outcomes, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Episode 28: The Power Of The Trigeminal Nerve
Episode 38: Accessing The Parasympathetic Nervous System Without Focusing On Breath!
Episode 41: 3 Powerful Nerves
Episode 70: How The Trigeminal Nerve Could Supercharge Your Practice
Episode 86: Decoding The Nervous System For Health Pros
Treatment Video: Root of Tongue Self-Massage
Learn the LTAP™ In-Person in one of my upcoming courses

Considering the viscera as a source of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction is a great way to ensure a more true whole body approach to care, however it can be a bit overwhelming on where to start, which is exactly why I created the Visceral Referral Cheat Sheet. This FREE download will help you to learn the most common visceral referral patterns affecting the musculoskeletal system. Download it at www.unrealresultspod.com
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Chapters

1. Teeth, Clenching, & CNS Tension (00:00:00)

2. My Dental Anxiety (00:01:37)

3. The Most Traumatic Dental Experience Ever (00:05:46)

4. Finding a New Dentist (00:14:49)

5. Understanding Teeth Clenching and Stress (00:21:28)

6. The Brainstem and Clenching Connection (00:25:02)

7. Impact of Dental Work on the Nervous System (00:27:54)

8. Practical Tips for Managing Clenching (00:31:05)

124 episodes

#Fitness #Anna Hartman #Physical Therapy #Athletic Trainers #Physical Therapist #Athletic Training #Sports Medicine #Visceral Manipulation #Osteopathic Medicine #Manual Therapy #Movement Dysfunction #Inury #Athletic Rehabilitation #Alternative Health #Podcasting Education