Do Night Guards Work?
Many people often wake up with constant, dull jaw pain, and they may just accept it as a way of life. Yet they do have viable options. You may have heard some discussion about night guards. What is their function, and do they work? You also might be interested in more pleasant, less painful mornings.
Bruxism is the medical term for grinding or clenching of your teeth and jaws. Grinding is when you move your jaw back and forth. Clenching is biting down with excessive force for longer periods of time. Bruxism is a quite common issue or condition and usually occurs during sleep. There are quite a few people who are not even aware that they grind their teeth during sleep until they are told by either their sleep partner or their dentist.
Grinding your teeth while sleeping causes extensive damage to both the structure and the enamel of your teeth over time, which then leads to decay and increased sensitivity. It can result in headaches, interrupt your sleep, and also cause pain in your jaw, face, and neck.
How a Night Guard Can Help You
If you wake up with jaw and tooth pain, you most likely suffer from the condition known as bruxism, which is the constant wearing down of your teeth from nighttime grinding or clenching. This condition can actually be more serious than you think, because it will affect how you bite, chew, enjoy food, and more. Night guards do work and have a variety of potential benefits:
- Less Tooth and Jaw Pain- The primary reason for you to use a night guard is to combat the symptoms related to bruxism, including tension and pain. A properly custom-fitted night guard molded to your teeth will help stop damage to your teeth from grinding or clenching.
- Improved Quality of Sleep- Since a night guard will help decrease the amount of pain you feel when you grind your teeth, it will also improve your sleeping patterns. When the muscles in your jaw or mouth are tense, you are likely to be tense when you sleep as well. Night guards help eliminate that problem.
- Fewer Headaches- Teeth grinding or clenching quite often causes headaches. Everything in your body is co-dependent, such that each part or area relies on another to work properly and efficiently. When you stop your teeth from grinding or clenching, you will experience fewer headaches and any associated neck pain.
- Decreased Snoring- A night guard creates a narrower passage between your jaws, allowing an increase in your airflow and allowing you to breathe better, virtually eliminating snoring in some individuals. This might not be your biggest concern when it comes to your teeth grinding, but it sure can benefit your sleeping partner significantly.
- Good for the Long Term- Even though a night guard is indeed a financial investment, the small amount you spend now is a fraction of the dental treatments you might need in the future to help repair damage from bruxism. If you grind or clench your teeth, please consult with your dentist about whether a night guard will be beneficial for you.