Using a Mouth Guard for Grinding Teeth
Most people grind their teeth at some point in their lives, but only a fraction of them experience symptoms such as a sore jaw or headaches. For these people, the most direct solution to the problem is often a mouth guard for grinding teeth. The technical term for these dental devices is occlusal guard, but they’re most commonly referred to as night guards.
Even teeth grinders who don’t have painful symptoms may find it beneficial to use a mouth guard. Often teeth grinders only learn about their problem from a spouse who is being kept awake at night, or a dentist who has noticed tooth damage.
Why Get a Mouth Guard for Teeth Grinding?
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can be caused by a variety of things, such as stress, physical trauma, medication, or illness. However, once the habit takes hold, it often sticks even after the cause of the teeth grinding has been eliminated. In severe cases, untreated bruxism can lead to:
- various dental problems, including blunted teeth and accelerated tooth decay
- migraine headaches
- arthritis of the jaw
For those who grind their teeth at night, bruxism is also considered a sleep disorder. As you spend your nights grinding your teeth, you may not be getting the rest you need.
How Does a Mouth Guard Help?
A mouth guard makes it impossible for top and bottom teeth to rub together, preventing the friction that damages teeth and makes your jaw sore. There’s a little more to it than that, but not much.
Most mouth guards are either soft and gummy or hard and smooth. Soft mouth guards tend to be bulkier and restrict the jaw from moving with the same range of motion. Hard ones allow the jaw more movement, but their smooth surface gives your teeth nothing to “catch” on.
In both cases, mouth guards deny your body the same response it normally gets when you unconsciously clench or grind. This can help you break out of the habit. However, once you find a mouth guard that works for you, using it may become second nature. Many people pop one into their mouths before bed for years and years.
Next Steps
If you decide that you need a mouth guard for grinding teeth, you may want to start with a cheap over the counter product first. “Boil and bite” mouth guards work fine for many people, and are much cheaper than other alternatives, even when you consider the fact that you have to replace them frequently.
On the other hand, if you need a higher quality mouth guard, you may want to talk to your dentist about getting a custom fitted occlusal guard. Or, alternatively, you can use a service that will send you a custom fitted mouth guard at a much lower cost. See our Occlusal Guard section for more information.