I have just recently started to notice that my jaw feels tight on a regular basis, and my molars have some areas where they are being worn down. It is getting really frustrating since I will not be able to see a dentist till the second half of May.

What can I do until then to ease my pain(in the jaw) as well as prevent my teeth from grinding themselves to dust?

James

Ball gag

I believe wal-mart sells mouth gaurds (and Wal-Greens and CVS) that you can trim to your particular mouth size to keep your teeth from grinding down.  I believe it also helps with the tension in the jaw IIRC.

Basically that is what I did for a while. I got one of the athletic mouth pieces that you heat up and mold to your teeth.
Trim it first to fit your mouth, then heat it up and  mold it to your upper teeth only. Leave the bottom smooth. That way your teeth have something to slide on.
You have to work it a few times to make it thin enough that you don't force your jaw open wider then normal, but leave it thick enough that there is something for your teeth to grind on for a while. Usually I would have to replace them after about 4 months because I ground through them.

Your dentist can make a very nice little block that fits on your front teeth.

See your dentist. Some of the over-the-counter stuff will make you grind more, not less.

Quoted: I have just recently started to notice that my jaw feels tight on a regular basis, and my molars have some areas where they are being worn down. It is getting really frustrating since I will not be able to see a dentist till the second half of May. What can I do until then to ease my pain(in the jaw) as well as prevent my teeth from grinding themselves to dust? James

Well, all I can say is get it checked out now.

Many moons ago, my roomate in college asked me what that funny noise was when I was asleep. He said it sounded like crunching and grinding.

I didn't even know that I was doing it, but the noise was me grinding my teeth. I never did anything about it, and 20 some years later I have a $10,000 mouth to prove it.

The grinding will wear the teeth away until they are so weak that they crack. I have 11 crowns and had two root canals.

You will at the very least want to ask your dentist about a bruxism device, which is really just a glorified mouthguard like you had in football, except much more comfortable and easy to keep in your mouth while you sleep. And it will last for years, as it is a hard plastic unlike the softer stuff that the football type mouthguards are made of. I wear one almost every night of my life.

It's rare that I can use personal experience to give someone such definative advice ........... take care of it now, man.

Quoted: Your dentist can make a very expensive but nice little block that fits on your front teeth.

Fixed it.

+1 for the ball gag or OTC nightguard

I clench my teeth at nite, so I feel your pain.
See your dentist, they can fit you with a mouth guard. It WON'T stop the grinding, but it WILL protect your teeth...
Also, if you don't regularly exercise, that may also be contributing: exercise regularly and stress will be more manageable and less likely to be "Processed" when you are sleeping.