I’ve been wearing a night guard since grad school which is when I started grinding my teeth. I’m on my third one. All I can say is that having a custom made night guard was/is the best option for me. When you amortize the cost, it’s well worth it. I had ground the enamel almost all the way off on one molar. The bottom line here is to take care of your teeth! They are totally worth it.
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Yup, I’ve got TMJ dysfunction secondary to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (a genetic condition that basically makes your connective tissue the consistency of silly putty when it’s supposed to be like rubber bands). The mouth guards don’t work too well for me, but the tricks I use include holding a paintbrush between my teeth (especially when sawing intricate things- I use it to brush the bits away) or simply sticking my tongue out. You can’t clench your jaw and touch your tongue to your lips at the same time- at least not unless you’ve got some other issues going on! 
The other thing I’ll note is that if this jaw-clenching is a long term habit, you may also be developing arthritis in the joint. I’ve been on every NSAID under the sun without much success, but I was surprised how much a turmeric supplement helps. I still need other meds too, but it definitely makes everything just a little more manageable.