Learn 5 Reasons to Wear a Dental Night Guard
If you’ve never complained of hurting jaws or severe headaches before, but you can’t seem to get rid of them lately, you may have bruxism. Bruxism is a condition in which your teeth grind, clench, or gnash.
If you clench or grind your teeth when awake, this is referred to as awake bruxism, whereas sleep bruxism is for people who clench or grind their teeth while sleeping. Stress is a major contributor to bruxism.
The Covid-19 pandemic, according to Healthline, has put a strain on people’s wallets, leading to an increase in cases of stress. As a result, teeth grinding and clenching are growing more widespread in the US, Israel, and Poland.
According to a study conducted in Israel and Poland, daytime teeth clenching has grown from 17% to 32% since the pandemic began, while nighttime teeth clenching has climbed from 10% to 36%. When it happens at night, you are usually unconscious, so the symptoms, such as headaches, can be difficult to attribute to bruxism.
Unfortunately, no remedy exists for bruxism. Although it can be difficult to address the underlying causes of teeth grinding and clenching, you can eliminate the unpleasant consequences of bruxism by wearing a nightguard.
What exactly is a Nightguard?
A nightguard is a retainer-like piece of firm or soft plastic. It protects the biting surfaces and can be worn on either the lower or upper set of teeth. Because everyone’s teeth are unique, each patient’s nightguard is custom-made by molding it to fit your teeth without being uncomfortable or bulky. While it goes by numerous names, dentists will refer to the same device when they say mouthguard, occlusal guard, bite splint, dental guard, or nocturnal bite plate.
The Importance of Choosing the Correct Nightguard
Prevent Plaque Formation
Despite their similar names, a sports mouth guard should not be confused with one designed to prevent teeth grinding and clenching. A sports mouth guard is more likely to be harmful than beneficial.
By protecting the teeth and gums, it protects them from blunt force injuries. Because saliva cannot reach the gums while wearing a sports mouth guard, bacteria accumulate on the gum surface as you sleep.
Saliva neutralizes cavity-causing acids and washes away food particles, preventing plaque formation. While looking for a nightguard, it is advisable to consult with an oral hygiene specialist to avoid damaging your teeth.
