Have you ever experienced severe headaches or painful jaws? Do you know about a condition called bruxism? Bruxism is a health condition in which you clench or grind your teeth. If you do so even when you are awake, it is called awake bruxism. Many people, while sleeping, bite or clench their teeth. One of the main reasons for bruxism is stress. In the post-pandemic world, people are undergoing a lot of financial strain, resulting in more cases of anxiety, leading to teeth clenching and grinding, a common problem worldwide.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for this. Moreover, understanding the underlying causes of teeth clenching and grinding becomes challenging. You cannot eliminate the harmful effects of bruxism, but you can prevent the adverse effects by wearing a night guard.
- Understanding the uses of night guard
A night guard is very similar to a retainer, like a plastic item that can be soft or hard. What it does is it covers the biting surface, and you can wear it either on the top or bottom set of your teeth. Since different patients have distinctive teeth patterns, a night guard is custom-made depending on the requirement of each patient, and it is molded to fit into the teeth without making you feel uncomfortable or bulky. Depending on their needs, some people even call it an occlusal guard, mouth guard, dental guard, or bite splint.
- Why should you get a night guard?
Despite having similar names, you should distinguish a night guard from a sports mouth guard because they are designed for different purposes. A sports mouth guard cannot perform the function that the night guard is supposed to perform. It covers the gums and teeth to protect them from blunt force or sudden trauma. Wearing it at night will trap bacteria on the gum’s surface while sleeping since saliva will not reach the gums while wearing the sports mouth guard.
- Do you know that saliva aids in neutralizing acids that cause cavities?
It also assists in washing away food particles, thereby preventing plaque development. Therefore, you should talk to an oral hygiene professional if you are looking for a night guard to prevent further damage to your gums and teeth. You need to understand that some night guards come with holes to allow the free flow of saliva; therefore, a reputed dentist from Dublin Dental Care Ohio can make the right decision by understanding the condition of your teeth.
A night guard is usually made with precise measurements of your teeth and bite because the main aim is to protect the surface from rubbing against each other. Since a sports mouth guard is soft and rubbery, it is not designed to fit particularly into your gum socket. It might lead to muscle discomfort because of the soft material; therefore, wearing a sports mouth guard at night would shift your bite over time.
Until you visit a professional who will understand your bruxism, it is tough to know that your tooth sensitivity or headache can be due to teeth clenching and grinding in your sleep. Besides, most dentists might suggest you wear a custom-made night guard.
Get professional help to diagnose your bruxism!
Also Read: Toothache Causing Headache and Eye Pain
