Do mouthguards help with teeth grinding?
Do mouthguards work for teeth grinding?
One of the most common questions we hear about mouth guards for preventing bruxism and clenching is whether or not they work. Those who are familiar with traditional sports mouth guards know that while the slight discomfort you feel might never be intense, there is a certain amount of "getting used" before being able to wear them without noticing their presence.
Professional teeth grinding mouth guards like the RISE Night guard, are often advertised as being the most comfortable and easy to use mouth guards, or, at the very least, better than sports mouthguards.
But that doesn't mean professionally made teeth grinding guards don't need getting used to. When grinding and clenching your teeth at night, there is bound to be some unusual feeling or movement in your mouth. How much time does it take to get used to them? And what are some ways to accelerate the process? Here's what you need to know about teeth grinding mouth guards, the fit, and how to make sure you order the one right for you.
Do teeth grinding mouthguards work?
Clenching and bruxism guards like the Nxtrnd RISE work. In general, these mouth guards are a lot better than traditional over the counter and sports mouthguards. There are a few factors that make professional grinding guards different from the others. These are, first, the tooth coverage the mouth guards allow, and second, the increased comfort they provide when worn in the mouth at night.
With tradition mouthguards, the discomfort you feel comes from the added material designed to absorb impacts rubbing against your mouth soft tissue while your mouth moves at night. Especially true when using sports mouthguards, which are meant to be used a few hours at a time, their extended use and added material has been seen to press, rub, and scratch the mouth becoming extremely uncomfortable. The same can be said for professional grinding guards like the RISE, but on a much smaller scale.
The edges of the RISE are designed to be low profile and not touch the gums soft tissue. The low profile design not only protects the gums from irritation and discomfort, but also allows the natural movement of the mouths saliva at night increasing oral health and reducing bacteria build up on the gums which can potentially cause gingivitis.
To learn more about professional teeth grinding mouth guards, please click here.
Can a mouth guard change bite?
An ill-fitting mouth guard can change your bite and cause pain in your jaw. In fact, one of the first things we tell our customers when ordering a mouth guard is that they read our easy to follow fitting instructions to ensure that their night guard will fit their bite properly. If not fitted properly, you may see serious complications after extended use. We always advise to order a mouth guard designed for teeth grinding over the traditional types to avoid painful issues stemming from improper design.
Can mouth guard makes clenching worse?
Night guards do not address the root of clenching, they are meant to protect the teeth from wear due to chronic grinding or clenching. Before ordering your mouth guard, it's important you look at its design. Many mouth guards are designed incorrectly and cause the posterior teeth to touch the guard's plastic while the anterior teeth do not. The unevenness of contact can lead to increased clenching and grinding problems. We recommend ordering a mouth guard like the Nxtrnd RISE Professional Night Guard.
Can mouthguard cause gum disease?
Before ordering your night guard, we recommend making sure it has a low profile design, meaning the sidewalls do not cover your gums. Contrary to sports mouth guards that are designed to cover both teeth and gums, a night guard is designed to cover the teeth’s biting surfaces only. Because gum tissue is easily susceptible to irritation and inflammation, having bacteria trapped against your gums over an extended period of time while you sleep will cause your gum health to deteriorate quickly.
If a full coverage mouth guard is worn throughout a night’s sleep, the mouths natural cleansing system is hindered enormously. For optimal oral health, the mouth guard must be thin enough to not cover the gums and allow the saliva to flow naturally around the teeth cleansing the mouth and reducing bacteria growth.
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