by snehag276 |
Last Updated: August 4, 2021 Night guards are probably the appliances no one likes to wear to bed. It acts as a crash helmet for teeth and gums to prevent any injury during the nighttime. They also prevent your teeth from grinding and help protect the enamel and save the gums from getting hurt. As said by Dr Edward L. Loev, he also is a cosmetic dentist and also after being made more than 5000-night guards is also not very fond of wearing them. He also said that people spend a lot of money on them and don’t use them and can’t get the benefits of the device.
Night guards
A lot of people find the nightguards very uncomfortable and do not wear them. In this article, you will get to know all the reasons and also ways on how to wear the night guard and deal with it without it causing much trouble. Every person in this world finds it hard to change habits and shift to something new. Everyone makes new-year resolutions but a few can accomplish them. This article has summed up the most common problems with the nightguards that have been brought forward by the people and also how to deal with them.
The problems faced by the people
A lot of people quit wearing their night guards after just a couple of days. When asked they list a lot of reasons as to why they quit wearing their night guards. Some of the most common reasons have been summed up in the list given below.
- It looks ugly
- It makes sleeping difficult
- Makes them gag
- Feels tight and uncomfortable
- Pain or jaw misalignment
- It looks ugly: The most common of all the reasons given is that it looks ugly. That’s true. Nothing good comes easy! But a dental night guard is better than cracked or ground down teeth with swollen gums. Grinding teeth while sleeping has a lot of other side effects too rather than just swollen gums or teeth that get cracked. When a person repeatedly grinds their teeth or clenches their jaw it can make the person suffer from headaches and also neck or back stiffness and can cause severe pain in gums. It can often lead to TMJ. It is better to get a night guard rather than TMJ or any other serious issues. You can look ugly when you just have to sleep and there is no one to see you rather than getting swollen gums and other problems due to the grinding of teeth.
- It makes sleeping difficult: Many people consider nighttime as the time when they can truly relax and be comfortable rather than feel constrained by various types of clothing etc but when the nightguards get involved too, your night may not seem so comfortable altogether. A lot of people find it difficult to fall asleep as they are not used to putting something in their mouths and sleep but nightguards are really helpful and also can be best for those who have a habit of grinding their teeth. It can be difficult at the start to get used to it but with time you will slowly adapt to it and it will become a part of you rather than a device.
- Makes them gag: A lot of people say that the night guard makes them gag. It is true! A lot of people experienced a reflex that made them gag and hence they were scared of putting it up in their mouth again. A lot of people have fast reflexes and gag reflex is one of them. Studies have not yet shown anything that connects these two things but doctors say that this can be just a mere reflex of the brain as it cannot comprehend the nightguard in the mouth and hence forces the thing out of the mouth. This can be overcome if you try to relax your body and be more focused. You can start by wearing it for short periods in the morning and then can increase the period gradually and then start wearing it even at night for longer periods.
- Feels tight and uncomfortable: A lot of people said that their night guard felt uncomfortable and tight as well. It was difficult for them to sleep with it on. A lot of people feel uncomfortable with their night guards on and hence they prefer not to wear them at night. Nightguards can be uncomfortable for those who are wearing them for the first time. All you need to do is to give it some time and to yourself too to settle down in it. If the night guards feel tight then you must visit your dentist as there can be sizing issues and you will want to get them made again as the imprint given can be wrong. The night guards should not feel tight or restricted to your teeth.
- Pain or jaw misalignment: Night guards are made according to the size and shape of different people and one size cannot fit all. It is important to get your night guard custom made by your dentist as a dentist will take your imprint and style your night guard according to it. An ill-fitting night guard can cause a lot of damage rather than good. It can cause pain in your teeth and cause a lot of pain in your gums. The pains worsen with time and also the alignment of the jaws is affected. If a night guard doesn’t fit you well, it can affect the alignment of the jaws. To overcome this problem make sure your night guard is made by a professional with the correct size.
Conclusion
No matter how uncomfortable it seems, a night guard is best for people who have a habit of grinding their teeth. It protects your teeth from grinding and also helps maintain their shape. It may seem impossible at first, but it gets better. We hope this article helped you with your doubts.