Bite guards are dental appliances used to keep a person from grinding the teeth during sleep. They look very similar to sports mouth guards but function to eliminate bruxism or teeth grinding. People have the tendency to grind their teeth while sleeping due to several factors. Stress can be a cause of bruxism, as well as the inability to cope with one’s emotions. Bruxism isn’t at all life threatening but can affect your health in several ways. Thus, bite guards serve to make people feel great physically during waking hours, allowing both the body and mind to maximize their true potential. Put a stop to bruxism with the use of a bite guard and improve your health.
Bruxism Causes Pain and Discomfort during Waking Hours
- Toothache – Bruxism puts stress on the teeth; causing problems like toothache or teeth sensitivity.
- Headache – Try clenching your teeth for several seconds, and you’ll feel your head aching. Think how prolonged teeth grinding while sleeping can make your head feel.
- Sore Jaw – Teeth grinding during sleep makes your jaw work overnight; hence a sore jaw may be felt during waking hours.
Are Bite Guards Comfortable to Wear?
Bite guards are custom fitted to the mouth and are made of soft plastic; hence, they’re very comfortable to use. Simply visit your dentist and he will provide you with a bite guard to use during sleep.
How Do Bite Guards Eliminate Bruxism?
It is in our nature as human beings to open the mouth when the teeth bite on something hard. This is exactly how a bite guard functions. As a bite guard is placed either on the upper or lower teeth, it is the first thing being hit when a person starts grinding his teeth. Thus, reflex action tells our mouths to open up when the teeth bite on the appliance; stopping bruxism and relieving oneself of its ill effects.
Is Wearing a Bite Guard Safe While Sleeping?
Bite guards are specially designed to fit snugly inside the mouth. They are also made of quality, smooth, BPA-free plastic, so they’re completely safe to use. Years of research and development to treat bruxism have brought us quality, safe, and very effective mouth appliances. Dentist recommended bite guards are FDA approved.
Bite Guards also Address Other Problems
Bite guards are not only used for people who grind their teeth while sleeping, but may also be used to treat other problems like sleep apnea, snoring, and TMJ disorder. Sleep apnea is characterized by breathing lapses during sleep. TMJ disorder, on the other hand, happens when the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) fails to function properly. TMJ is the joint that connects the skull to the jaw. Bite guards can offer relief for the abovementioned disorders since it stops putting pressure on the teeth and the jaw, and clears the pathway for air to enter the mouth. Health benefits and relief from snoring, bruxism, sleep apnea, and TMJ disorder, make bite guards an essential device for health and dental care.