A mouth guard (or night guard) for teeth grinding might seem like an inconvenience. You have to choose which design and material work best for you. Then, you’ll need to get accustomed to wearing it. You have to keep it clean. And you have to replace it when it wears down (usually every 3-9 months depending on the density of the guard and the aggressiveness of your grinding).
So, is it really worth it? Well, at TeethNightGuard, we certainly think it is, and it’s not just because we’ve spent over 15 years making custom night guards. It’s because we know the benefits of our products, both from industry research and from our specific customers. So, to show you why a night guard might be right for you, we’ve put together the 5 most important benefits you’ll get from wearing a mouth guard if you are a teeth grinder.
1. You will help your teeth stay strong and free of decay and damage.
Grinding your teeth at night wears away at your teeth’s enamel. Enamel is what makes up the outside layer of your teeth. It is extremely strong in order to protect you from cavities, but it is not immune to the effects of friction.
When you grate your teeth against each other or press them into each other, you will cause damage to your enamel. Sometimes that looks like cracking or chipping of teeth, but more often it is a gradual process that flattens the surfaces of your teeth and begins to expose the dentin underneath. Then, exposing the dentin leads to further issues.
2. You will protect your teeth from extreme sensitivity.
As the dentin (the layer underneath the enamel) gets closer to the surface of the tooth, your teeth become more sensitive. That’s because the dentin is the last layer before your hit the tooth’s pulp, which includes the blood vessels and nerves.
Dentin is strong, but not as strong as enamel. So, once you begin to expose your teeth’s dentin, your tooth have become especially vulnerable to sensations and to bacteria. If you feel an increase in sensitivity to hot, cold, or pressure, you might be near to or already exposing your teeth’s dentin, and it is crucial that you take action quickly.
3. You will lower your chances of getting gum disease.
Believe it or not, grinding and clenching your teeth can have effects all the way up into your gums. That’s because the pressure on your teeth travels into the gums and can cause inflammation. Inflamed gums are much more susceptible to infection, such as the kinds of bacterial infections that cause gingivitis, or, even worse, spread below the gum line and create periodontal disease.
This disease can cause pockets to form around teeth and can lead to bone loss and other complications. So, it is important to take all the steps you can to protect yourself against this possibility
4. You will reduce gum recession and the risk of losing teeth.
Among other things, periodontal disease can lead to gum recession. This is when your gum line retreats, exposing some of your teeth’s roots and increasing your risk of losing teeth.
Teeth grinding is not the only cause of gum recession or periodontal disease. Smoking, genetic factors, brushing incorrectly (such as too aggressively or with very stiff bristles), and improper flossing can also increase your chances of gum recession, periodontal disease, and tooth loss. However, teeth grinding adds to the risk factors. And you can easily counteract most of its harmful effects by using a mouth guard every night.
5. You will improve your overall health.
Oral health impacts the health of your body as a whole. That’s because infections in your gums, teeth, and mouth can easily make their way into your bloodstream and move through your system, even affecting your organs. So, it is crucial that you keep your teeth and gums protected in all the ways that you can.
By wearing a night guard, you are also taking strides to ensure that you don’t bite through the skin on the sides of your mouth as you sleep. Biting the sides of the mouth can lead to canker sores, which not only create discomfort but also provide another pathway for infection to enter the body.
In order to make sure you maintain the highest oral health when using a night guard, you should wash and air dry your night guard between uses. Wash it with warm water, non-abrasive toothpaste, and a soft bristle brush. You should also deep clean the guard and the case once a week with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, mouthwash, or a solution specifically for cleaning guards and dentures.
And don’t forget to replace your guard if you see it has become cracked or badly scratched. Bacteria can take hold more easily on surfaces that are uneven.
For a guard that fits well, choose a custom model, like those sold by TeethNightGuard, and begin with the thinner and more flexible plastic options until you become more accustomed to wearing a guard.
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TUFF BRUX 4MM THICK SOFT CUSTOM NIGHT GUARD - THICKER AND CROSS GRAINED FOR ADDED STRENGTH - THICKEST AND STRONGEST SOFT GUARD
$119.99
Item Number TUFFBRUX Manufacturer Sparkling White Smiles Dental Lab Rating Product Description 4mm Extra Thickness Professionally made Custom Night Guard Our Custom Teeth Night Guards are BPA, Latex and Phthalate Free NEW PRODUCT! Perfect guard for… Read More