Night Guards- Different Types and Advice

Jan 10
09:02

2011

Jay Sanders

Jay Sanders

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As you already know teeth clenching and teeth grinding can really make a normal perfect night a sleep a bad night of sleep. Both of these things can actually lead to you tossing and turning and not really allowing you to sleep.

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It might also prevent your partner from sleeping as well. The term people use for night time jaw clenching is called Bruxism. The bad thing about Bruxism is that if you don't treat it as soon as your notice it you might have some major dental problems. Almost anyone can experience teeth grinding. Even children as well as adult grind their teeth.

 

One of the main ways to relieve yourself from teeth clenching and teeth grinding is to use a mouth guard. Mouth guards are mostly used at night time. A mouth guard is a piece of plastic that is molded to fit your teeth and placed into your mouth as you sleep. The plastic mold becomes a cushion for your teeth and stops you from ruining your teeth and jaw from the stress of the day.

 

A mouth guard is supposed to soften the bite down forces of your jaw and remove some of the tension in the muscles of your jaws. The mouth guard will keep your teeth from grinding down onto the lower part of your mouth. You can actually go to a dentist to find a great mouth guard. However having a custom mouth guard made for your mouth won't be very affordable. You should go to your drug store first before talking to your dentist. You might find a lower cost mouth guard that works just as good as one from your dentist.

 

Not all mouth guards are the same. Some people recommend buying more than one and testing them out as you need them until you find one that offers the most comfortable fit for your mouth. The mouth guards that you find at the drug store actually come in only one size so they should fit your mouth unless your mouth is smaller or bigger than the mouth guard.

 

Be sure to look closely at the mouth guard. Some drug stores or pharmacies will actually let you open the mouth guard as long as you tell them first. You want one that isn't too loose or one that isn’t too tight, you want a guard that is just right. If you can't find a good mouth guard at the drug store try using sport mouth guards. They may work better for you. Once you get your new mouth guard home its best to first boil it to make sure it is clean before you place inside your mouth. You don't want to get sick.