What Is a Dental Night Guard?

There are two main types of dental night guards, hard and soft:

• A soft night guard is the most commonly used by people with mild bruxism symptoms. They prefer a soft guard because of how flexible and comfortable they are while sleeping.
• A hard night guard is highly durable and intended for people suffering from severe symptoms of bruxism.

A nighttime dental guard is designed to prevent damage to your teeth and a better night's rest. If you have mild symptoms, you should wear your night guard routinely to prevent bruxism symptoms from going from mild to worse.

People who suffer from sleep apnea can also benefit from a nighttime dental guard. When we are in a deep sleep, the muscles in our body relax, and our tongue can block airflow. This can cause short pauses in our breathing, known as sleep apnea. A night guard covers your teeth, aligns the jaw, and keeps the airway open to relieve sleep apnea symptoms.

Different Types of Night Guards

There are various types of dental night guards. These include:

1. Boil and bite night guard: The boil and bite mouth guard is made from a thermoplastic material. You place it in hot water until the material softens and then bite into it to make a mold of your teeth.
2. Stock mouth protector: These are over-the-counter night guards ready to wear. Normally, they are uncomfortable and don't fit your mouth well as they are one size fits all.
3. Custom-made night guards: A custom-made night guard is perfectly suited to the shape of your mouth and teeth. They are comfortable and easy to wear.

Learn what is the best mouth guard for teeth grinding here!

Why Should You Wear a Night Guard?

There are 4 important reasons why you should wear a good, custom-made night guard:

• Prevent damage to your teeth: You are not in control of your teeth grinding while you are sleeping. Wearing a night guard can prevent jaw clenching and teeth grinding, protecting your enamel.
• Prevent TMJ: Temporomandibular joint disorder is when the muscles around the joint are under strain when you clench your jaw at night. It can cause facial pain, headaches, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Wearing a night guard can help you wake up pain-free and refreshed.
• Save money: Save yourself a lot of money by ordering a custom-made night guard from WatchMyMouth. They are an inexpensive solution to preventing teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Not only that, you can save yourself thousands of dollars on dental repairs caused by teeth grinding.
• Prevent headaches: Headaches are one of the main symptoms of bruxism due to the strain teeth grinding and clenching puts on the muscles around your neck, face, and mouth.