How Do You Choose a Night Time Mouth Guard?

Mouthguards are oral devices helpful for protecting your teeth and gums from impacts on your mouth when involved in a sporting activity or for sleep-related disorders that might affect you. Mouthguards are not exclusively created for adults but recommended for children by the pediatric dentist near you as a preventive measure to protect them from losing their teeth prematurely.

Teeth grinding, alternatively called bruxism, is a sleep-related disorder causing various problems such as tooth pain, gum soreness, and jaw pain. Teeth grinding occurs in adults and children to damage their teeth and requires extensive dental treatments for broken and damaged teeth. Dentists generally recommend mouth guards near you to keep the teeth separated when you sleep.

You might think purchasing a mouthguard from the neighborhood drugstore shouldn’t be a problem because they are readily available. However, if your kid suffers from bruxism, you help yourself and your child by understanding generic mouth guards are not effective against this condition. Instead, bruxism requires a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child fabricated explicitly for them by their dentist.

Why Mustn’t You Consider Store Brought Mouthguards?

When you consider over-the-counter mouth guards as a remedy against bruxism, you find two varieties displayed on the shelves of drugstores and sports goods stores. Unfortunately, these oral appliances are created for daytime use when playing sports and do not offer the best fit for anyone.

A mouth guard for bruxism is intended for extended periods and worn at night by patients affected by this condition. Therefore as a medical device, the appliance is better customized by a dentist instead of over-the-counter appliances.

If you prefer store brought varieties can either consider a generic mouthguard available in sports goods stores fitting over the upper teeth and available in small, medium, and large sizes. Stock mouthguards are not challenging to find and are inexpensive. Unfortunately, their limited size options make them uncomfortable, and they don’t provide a proper fit making it challenging to talk when wearing one.

Alternatively, you can consider purchasing a boil and bite mouthguard available in most drugstores at affordable prices. Boil bite mouthguards are available in a single size, unlike stock mouthguards but are customizable to fit your teeth. You must boil the mouthguard to soften it before placing it over your front teeth and biting down. You can duplicate the process until you get the desired fit. The boil and bite mouthguard might serve as a convenient technique for determining whether you find relief from the problem of bruxism using a mouthguard over your teeth.

However, if you intend to protect your kid’s teeth from breakage or damage, you must have a night guard customized by the pediatric dentist for optimal results.

How Do Customized Mouth Guards Differ?

Customized mouth guards in Houston, TX, are not generic but are explicitly created for the patient’s mouth by dentists. They are more expensive than the stock or boil and bite mouth guards but are also durable and provide the protection needed against bruxism.

A customized mouthguard provides a better fit than store-bought oral appliances, making them challenging to dislodge when sleeping. Dentists recommend custom-made mouth guards to treat sleep-related disorders like bruxism and sleep apnea. In reality, customized mouthguards have become the preferred treatment option for patients suffering from sleep apnea, a severe sleep-related illness.

Wearing a night guard for bruxism ensures that the device helps keep the top and bottom teeth separated to ensure they don’t damage each other from the pressures of clenching and grinding. In addition, it prevents unnecessary visits to the dentist to fix chipped and broken teeth.

Caring for Your Customized Mouthguard

As mouthguards remain in your mouth for quite some time, you must ensure you keep it clean and protected from damage, especially if you have one customized by your dentist. In addition, nighttime mouth guards need special attention because they remain in your mouth throughout the night.

Brushing the mouth guard before placing it over your teeth and cleaning the mouth guard after removing it is essential. You can use a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean and store the mouthguard in a robust container with ventilation to allow it to dry.

Mouthguards do not last forever and need replacements whenever you notice damages such as holes and signs of wear. Customized mouthguards may require replacements every two to three years, while over-the-counter devices may require more frequent replacements. However, the best choices for nighttime mouth guards aren’t available in drugstores or supermarkets but from dentists who create one explicitly for you.

Molar Bear Pediatric Dentistry creates custom-fitted mouth guards for children affected by bruxism. Please do not hesitate to visit this practice with your kid to have a nighttime mouth guard designed for your child.