A night guard is a custom-fitted dental equipment that protects your teeth from wear and tear. It protects your teeth from accidents during contact sports and also helps you get better sleep. If you suffer from teeth grinding or bruxism, you should not hesitate to get a night guard. Bruxism can lead to chronic jaw pain and headaches in the morning.
If you wake up with signs of bruxism, you must act quickly. Being negligent about your dental health can eventually lead to bigger problems. Teeth grinding or clenching is much more common than you think. Speak to your family dentist in Monterey Park so that they can help you find a solution and lead a healthy life.
Benefits of wearing a night guard
Night guards protect your teeth.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of having a night guard is that it protects your teeth from grinding against each other at night when you sleep. Since you are not conscious when you do it, you do not have control over it. Sometimes, you might even find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth when you are not paying attention.
If you take this problem lightly and do not seek a solution, your teeth will eventually lose their enamel. When the enamel becomes damaged or erodes, you will experience problems like tooth sensitivity and toothache. This is because there is no longer a layer of protection.
Night guards prevent headaches.
Teeth grinding keeps a part of your head under pressure for a long time when you sleep. This is the reason you experience headaches when you wake up in the morning. A custom night guard can avoid these problems.
Night guards prevent tooth damage.
A night guard prevents your upper teeth from coming in contact with your lower teeth when you sleep. Since the grinding happens in your sleep, you do not have much control over it. This can cause an abundance of dental problems, including tooth damage.
Moreover, if you have existing dental fillings, they might also get damaged due to bruxism. This will cause you to visit your dentist and get fillings again. Therefore, not fixing one dental problem can lead to several others.
Night guards protect your jaw.
If you wake up with soreness and pain in your jaw, you probably suffer from bruxism. If left untreated for a long time, teeth grinding can cause painful jaw issues, such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. This disorder leads to jaw pain and joint dysfunction.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) reported that about 10 million Americans suffer from a TMJ disorder.
Night guards prevent snoring.
Clenching your teeth while you sleep can cause your airway to become narrow and cause snoring. This can also make it hard to breathe. Using a night guard keeps your upper and lower jaws separated and your airway open. It helps you get enough air and sleep more peacefully.
Night guards help relieve discomfort and create healthy sleep patterns. Your custom-made night guard fits perfectly, allowing your muscles to relax. This leads to better and stress-free sleep.
Night guards save you money.
Last but not least, night guards save a ton of your money. If you are avoiding going to the dentist for your teeth grinding problem because you think it might be expensive, you may be making a mistake. The damage caused by long-term teeth grinding is much more costly. In some cases, the teeth become damaged beyond repair.
So, it is best to visit your dentist when the problem is still in its early stages. You will save yourself a lot of money down the road.
If you are suffering from bruxism, visit your dentist today to get the best treatment option.
