How are dental night guards different from sports mouth guards? Although both oral appliances may seem similar and are designed to protect your teeth, they work differently. Dental night guards are used to protect your teeth from clenching and grinding at night, as opposed to sports mouth guards, which are designed to protect your teeth when playing sports.

5 Signs You Need Dental Night Guards

For extreme grinding and clenching cases, like Bruxism, dental night guards are usually prescribed to patients to prevent possible teeth damage. If you are experiencing one of the five signs listed below, it is recommended to follow up with your doctor about a mouth guard for your grinding.

• If you chip a tooth while sleeping
• If you suffer from chronic grinding every night
• If you wake up with a headache every morning
• If you have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD)
• If you are regularly taking antidepressants-Why?

Choose the Right Mouthguard

You might purchase a mouthguard from the drug store or online because it is probably cheaper. The problem is that those mouthguards may cause discomfort and difficulties. Even though these mouth guards allow you to create a bite impression to fit your teeth, they are thicker and bulkier, making it difficult to speak and breathe. They may even cause damage your tooth alignment. Purchase a guard from the dentist; the custom guards will ensure a proper fit without discomfort and damage. The custom guard creates a mold that is unique to your teeth and jaw, making the guard thinner and far more comfortable to wear.

Cleaning Night Guards

To keep your night guard clean you can start by cleaning them with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Cleaning tablets are also available for a deeper cleaning; however, avoid using any cleaner that contains alcohol since it can damage your appliance in the long run. To fight against bacteria growth, you can store your night guard in cold tap water. Remember to wash your guard case since contamination can lead to illness or an oral infection. This can be done by rinsing the case with hot water and soap; dry properly before next use.

Questions?

Night dental guards work to absorb all the grinding and clenching while you sleep, but are not a treatment to stop this bad habit. Instead, it is a process of becoming conscious of the habit and slowly correcting it. iI you have further questions please contact us today!