FOR dENTAL NIGHT GUARDS
DENTAL NIGHT GUARD
Serving Maple Ridge and Surrounding Areas
Dental night guards are a common piece of dental equipment that are frequently recommended for people who grind their teeth at night. Teeth grinding can cause a range of serious health problems, including but not limited to:
- Locking jaw
- Headaches
- Earaches
- Sore, stuff jaw muscles and joint
- Pain in the jaw when eating
- Trouble sleeping
- Higher tooth sensitivity
- Facial pain
- TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder)
If left untreated, these symptoms result in more serious issues including chronic pain, long-lasting jaw pain and problems, and much more. If you are experiencing more than one of these symptoms and believe you may be grinding your teeth at night, contact your dental team right away in order to be evaluated.
DO DENTAL NIGHT GUARDS HURT?
One of the most common worries that people have regarding dental night guards is that they might hurt to use. However, dental night guards are not painful to put in nor do they hurt when you use them. They are designed to fit comfortably in your mouth at night, and you should be able to talk, breathe and otherwise go about your business normally when you wear it. You could even eat in them—though it’s recommend that night guards should only be worn when you sleep, since food will wear down your night guard faster than simply sleep-wear.
Your night guard may feel strange, but it shouldn’t feel painful; if you are experiencing discomfort or pain when using a night guard, contact your dentist in order to get it adjusted.
BENEFITS OF NIGHT GUARDS
The primary benefit of wearing a night guard is the reduction of damage to your teeth, jaw and overall health. Night guards do not stop you from grinding your teeth, but they do protect your teeth while also directing the bulk of your grinding bite force onto the guard, rather than your teeth and jaw. Wearing a night guard regularly will help prevent tooth chipping, tooth loss, enamel loss, jaw stiffness and pain, reduction in other teeth grinding symptoms such as headaches and earaches, and more.
It should be noted that wearing a night guard regularly is your best option if you want to reduce the symptoms experienced with teeth grinding. If you only wear the guard once in a while, you are still exposing your teeth and jaw to the effects of grinding.
OTC VS. CUSTOM GUARDS
Some companies offer over-the-counter dental night guards which are designed as “one size fits all.” However, these OTC dental guards are typically uncomfortable and even painful to wear, since they are not designed with the wearer’s mouth in mind; they can also read to worsening of teeth grinding symptoms. That is why you should stick to custom made dental guards made by dental professionals to fit perfectly in your mouth. They will be more comfortable, won’t cause you pain, and will help keep your teeth and jaw safe from the worst effects of frequent teeth grinding at night.
DENTAL NIGHT GUARDS WITH WESTGATE DENTAL CENTRE
Teeth grinding can cause serious pain and problems with your teeth, mouth and even overall health. If you are experiencing the symptoms of teeth grinding, contact your dentist today for a consultation.
