Night Guards for Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is medically referred to as bruxism. While some people might unconsciously clench their teeth in anger or frustration, at times teeth grinding might become a habit. Since clenching and grinding teeth can place undue pressure on the teeth and the surrounding tissues and muscles, it can adversely affect one's dental health. Sliding the teeth together in a back and forth motion can substantially damage the enamel coating of the teeth. Though the enamel coating gets slightly eroded as we age, the rate at which it gets eroded will be considerably faster for those suffering from bruxism. Chronic teeth grinding could also loosen the teeth. Those who have a habit of grinding their teeth must therefore find out ways to get rid of this unhealthy habit. A night guard, also known as mouth guard, is a horseshoe-shaped bite pad that is made from good quality plastic. In this article, we will find out about the effectiveness of night guards for teeth grinding problem.

How Do Mouth Guards Help

Jaw clenching and grinding teeth at night can cause a variety of problems. Though some people might indulge in teeth grinding due to stress or anxiety, sometimes, an ill fitted dental crown could cause one to indulge in teeth grinding at night. One might slide the upper set of teeth on the lower set, if a wrong-sized dental crown is causing any occlusion-related problems. When the upper and lower teeth are not meeting correctly or the normal spatial relation of the teeth that must exist when the jaw is closed, is disturbed, one might develop this habit of teeth grinding. Malocclusion and the resultant teeth grinding can adversely affect the jaw muscles and can cause temporomandibular dysfunction. If you usually wake up with a headache and experience pain around your ears when you yawn or chew, then you must use a night guard. Mouth guards are worn on the upper or lower set of teeth. It acts as a cushion between the upper and lower teeth and doesn't allow teeth to interlock. Thus, it protects the teeth from the undue pressure that is caused due to teeth clenching or grinding. Not only do these help the jaw muscles relax, these protect the enamel as well.

How to Select a Mouth Guard

Teeth grinding mouth guards are easily available at pharmacies. You will come across many brands that offer stock mouth protectors or boil and bite mouth protectors. DenTek Comfort Fit Nightguard, Sleepright Night Guard and Doctor's Night Guard are some of the brands that you could try. The cost of the over-the-counter night guards ranges between $5 to $50. Look for the brands that offer double-wall mouth guards. Make sure that buy the ones that are comfortable as well as durable. There is no point buying the very soft ones as these might not last for a long time. Look for a brand that offers bite pads made from soft yet strong plastic. In case, you feel that the night guard does not fit you well, then you could always get custom night guards. For getting custom-fit mouth guards, you will need to fix an appointment with the dentist. The dentist will first take the impression of your teeth and use the mold to create a night guard that fits your mouth perfectly. You will need to shell out more money for these, but these are definitely a better choice for those suffering from severe teeth grinding at night. One should also refrain from indulging in habits that might encourage teeth grinding. Stop yourself from chewing on ice or chewing on pens. Make sure that while chewing food, you chew from both sides. Chewing from one side can put pressure on one side. If you clench your teeth when under stress, make sure that you try relaxation techniques to calm your nerves.

Since teeth grinding can affect your dental health, you must not take it casually. If teeth grinding is becoming a compulsive habit, all you need to do is start using a night guard soon.