Reasons Why You Should Never Underestimate the Importance of a Night Guard
Teeth-grinding is an oral condition that affects people of all ages, from children to adults! Clinically referred to as bruxism, it refers to the clenching of the jaw and grinding of teeth, both of which pose a massive threat to your oral health for a couple of reasons. To begin with, teeth-grinding typically happens at night, so unless you share a bed with someone, the condition will likely remain undiagnosed for a prolonged period. Secondly, being unaware of the fact that you have developed this condition increases the likelihood of irreparable damage to your teeth!
Once a dentist diagnoses you with this disorder, they will prescribe a custom night guard that works to protect your teeth through the night. Since this is not medication, some people tend to underrate the importance of wearing this device religiously. To help you understand the gravity of the situation, here are two reasons why you should never underestimate the importance of a night guard.
A night guard prevents further damage to your teeth
The foremost reason why you should never skip wearing your night guard is to ensure you are not missing out on the protection that it offers your teeth. Grinding may seem like merely an annoying issue that interrupts your sleep from time to time when, in truth, it is much more serious than that. Continual teeth-grinding leads to the steady degradation of the tooth enamel and this leaves you vulnerable to an array of dental problems! From tooth sensitivity to physical damage, your teeth will get progressively worse, and this translates into rinsing dental bills!
Moreover, the grinding will interfere with any pre-existing dental work. For example, if you were previously diagnosed with cavities ad had the affected teeth filled, this habit can cause the fillings to dislodge! The great thing about night guards is that they are manufactured from soft plastic that to ensure you are comfortable, but the device is still strong enough to mitigate any undue damage from the gnashing of your teeth!
A night guard diminishes the chronic discomfort you are under
Bruxism not only contributes to the premature decline of your teeth but is also an extremely painful condition. The constant clenching of the jaw and gnashing of the teeth wreaks havoc on your temporomandibular joints. Located between the skull and your jawbone, these joints can steadily become inflamed and this makes simple tasks such as chewing a painful endeavour!
Additionally, clamping your mouth shut throughout the night will also lead to chronic pain in the form of headaches, toothaches, jaw pain and so on. Rather than develop a dependence on pain medication, you should wear your night guard as prescribed. Keeping this device on every night will help with diminishing the chronic discomfort that stems from undue tension in your face.
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