Thanks for the birthday card sweetie!

Do you have a splint to keep you from grinding? I do. It just fits over my
teeth (mine's for lower but upper works a bit better). The plastic in the
front is thicker so when your jaw closes, the molars don't touch - so you
can't grind.

My dentist made mine for me (several years ago). He took molds of my teeth
and made it himself (he likes that kind of stuff). If your own dentist
didn't go learn how to make that kind of appliance (it would be a continuing
education kind of thing, not part of a standard practice) you could check
into whether there is a dentistry school in the area and see if you can get
it done there.

I'm a big advocate of getting work at a dentistry school. The work is all
checked by professors at every step along the way (not allowed to proceed
until its 'right'), so you get a really excellent end product. And you are
helping someone be a better dentist when they graduate.

Adelle

I used to do that, and then my DH (bless *his* pointed little head)
suggested pouring in water and coffee beans so I wouldn't need to make
a pot in the morning (smart aleck).  Not sure why I stopped, but I did.
Took a while, I even practiced and trained myself to sleep with my
tongue between my back teeth (that worked really well, but man the
first few times when I'd bite my tongue...).

Glad to know the tooth is taken care of, I'm not sure there is anything
worse than that...  Well a headache is pretty bad too, just can't seem
to function if my teeth or my head hurts.  I can forget everything
else...

Sorry about the allergies.  I used to be like that, I'm so glad I
outgrew it.  Or maybe I just have other *funner* things to deal with,
so I ignore the allergies.  Not sure if you've said, but have you tried
any of those OTC allergy pills?  Do they help at all?

Best wishes that all of this just blows away with the wind (one can
hope).

Smokie Darling (Annie) - one friend fixed her grinding problem with a
"bite guard" she bought at Walgreens or somewhere like that (wasn't
from a dentist).

Hey SJ, I am soooooooooo  glad to hear you have that tooth out.  Hopefully
you will be abcess and infection free for a while, giving you a chance to get
some other stuff under control.  You and Jim are in my prayers all the time -
it HAS to get better for you two one day.

I had TMJ stuff too, though it appears to be my bite rather than grinding or
clenching.  My then-dentist made me one of the standard guards as Adelle
mentioned and it has been a blessing and I've also learned the neck muscles
are connected to the jaw muscles (dah-dah!) so stretching out my neck
actually helps my jaw as well.  Go figure.  Anyway, if you can't swing a
guard from your dentist or get to a dental school, there are inexpensive kits
you can buy to make your own that are better than nothing.  Not as good as
the dentist made ones, of course, but might be your salvation for a little
while.

I feel for you on the allergies.  Mine are year-round also  and have been
especially bad this summer, particularly since early August.  Watching the
pollen reports has helped me identify a possible allergan up here that I
wasn't dealing with much down south, mostly because down south I was living
in filtered air all summer!  Now the plantain is easing up but the ragweed is
starting.  sigh............  Meanwhile, our sump pump has been on the fritz
so the basement's leaking adding mold issues to the mix!  If next summer is
like this again, I'm voting for another round of testing and injections!  
Think I'll talk to my PCP about it at my physical next month.  

Anyway, I feel for you and I know all the allergy trouble can't be helping
your teeth any between sinus infections and having to breathe through your
mouth more.  Hang in there - soon the season and pollen will shift and it
will be something else!  LOL  Seriously, rest up and feel better and don't
breathe that outside air more than you have too!