If you’ve never had painful jaws or extreme headaches before, however, can’t always get rid of them lately, you may have bruxism. Grinding, clenching, or gnashing your teeth is known as bruxism. If you tighten or grind your teeth whilst awake, this is known as wakeful bruxism, but people who clench or chew their teeth whilst sleeping are known as sleep bruxism. Tension or stress is one of the most likely reasons for bruxism.
What precisely is a Nightguard?
Nightguards are a soft or hard plastic device that looks like its a retainer. It could be worn either on the upper or bottom set of teeth, so it protects the biting edges. Because patients’ teeth possess varied layouts, a nightguard is specially designed for every patient by molding it to suit the teeth without even being unpleasant or bulky. Because it goes under so many names, you’ll find dentists like the ones at The Art of Smile describe it as an occlusal guard, mouthguard, bite splint, nocturnal bite plate, or dental guard.
Benefits of having a night guard
Prevent Development of Plaque
Despite their similar names, a sporting mouth guard ought not to be confused with one aimed at preventing teeth grind and gripping. A mouth guard for sports does more damage than good. It protects the gums and teeth from blunt force injuries by covering them. Since saliva cannot reach the gums when using a sports mouth guard, this traps germs on the surface of the gums when you sleep.
Saliva aids in the neutralization of acids that might form cavities and the removal of food particles, reducing plaque formation. To avoid hurting your teeth, it’s indeed best to visit an oral hygiene specialist when opting for a nightguard. It’s worth noting that certain nightguards include holes in them to give saliva accessibility to the teeth. As a result, a dentist shall recommend the best design for you based on the state of the teeth.
Avoid Altering the Bite
Because the goal of a nightguard is to keep the surfaces to prevent grinding against one another and, it’s indeed generally custom-fit to the teeth as well as bite. Sports mouthguards aren’t made to fit the bite because they are flexible as well as composed of a thicker rubbery material. Because the brain perceives softer materials like food, you should chew when sleeping. This might induce muscle pain and early mat deterioration because of the soft material. When you opt to wear a nighttime sports mouthguard, the bite will vary over time. Whenever the bite alters, the effect will show up after a while.
Some other benefits include:
- There is less tension but also pain.
- Preventing Headaches
- Tooth Damage Mitigation
- Better Sleeping Habits
- Long-Term Financial Planning
- Avoiding Snoring
Who should wear a night guard?
Bruxism sufferers should wear a nightguard. Bruxism is fairly widespread, and some people aren’t even aware that they grind their teeth.
You may experience the following bruxism symptoms:
- Grinding of the teeth
- Having dull headaches when you wake up
- Jaw ailment
- Pain in the face
- Sleep deprivation causes fatigue.
Conclusion
Dental guards, nocturnal bite plates, mouth guards, and bite splints are all terms used to describe night guards for teeth. They function by forming a barrier between the teeth and preventing them from contacting each other. The night guard of teeth assists relieves tension as well as cushion the muscle within the jaw whenever they clench the jaw. It’s cushioning not just to relieve facial as well as jaw pain, but also safeguards the teeth’ enamel. They resemble snoring cures in appearance.