Sleeping well is an essential cornerstone of your overall health. Unfortunately, good sleep can be sabotaged by a number of obstacles, including dental issues. Whether it's the pain that comes from clenching your teeth or the jarring noise of snoring that awakens you or your partner, dental issues can be managed with night guards.
Do you suffer from dental issues? Are you interested in improving your sleep? Learn more about how night guards can help ensure peaceful sleep by creating a protective shield for your teeth and keeping your jaw aligned throughout the night!
How Do Dental Issues Affect Sleep?
Whether it's grinding, clenching, TMJ, or something else, dental issues can disrupt your sleep cycle and prevent you from having a restful night. Disrupted sleep means fatigue, impaired cognitive function, and general irritability throughout the day. You'll also have to deal with eventual enamel erosion, jaw pain, and tooth sensitivity that affect more than just your mouth! These dental conditions are known to lead to sleep apnea, insomnia, and migraines that all prevent you from sleeping well.
How Night Guards Can Help?
Soft mouth guards, including bite plates, occlusal splints, and even invisible braces, are custom-made mouthpieces that are designed to shield your teeth from various issues and align your jaw to ensure overall comfort. They act as both a preventative and therapeutic device to stop future issues and rehabilitate current damage.
Night Guard Materials
Night guards are designed to balance strength and softness. They're generally made of a combination of acrylic and another soft material, so they can mold to your mouth and teeth without warping. You can find night guards for either upper or lower teeth to ensure you're as comfortable as possible during the night. You want a snug, non-intrusive fit that's as invisible as possible.
Night Guards for Bruxism
Bruxism is a common condition where you unconsciously grind or clench your teeth, usually during sleep. With a night guard, you have a barrier between your upper and lower teeth, ensuring you no longer have to worry about jaw pain, headaches, disrupted sleep, enamel erosion, and tooth decay that come along with this condition.
Night Guards for TMJ
Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) which is typically restricted jaw movement, so you can't speak, eat, or drink without pain or discomfort. A night guard can reduce the physical symptoms of TMJ by promoting a more relaxed jaw position. When you wake up in the morning, your jaw shouldn't be as tight.
Night Guards for Sleep Apnea
Some specialized night guards are designed to adjust the jaw and tongue position even more. For sleep apnea, the guard creates additional space in the throat to keep the upper airway from collapsing while you sleep. These types of night guards are most effective for mild to medium sleep apnea.
Night Guards for Snoring
Like night guards for sleep apnea, when you use one to prevent snoring, it opens your throat for better airflow. The uninterrupted airflow moves through your nose and throat more easily, reducing the vibration in your throat to minimize the sound that may disrupt your sleep.
The Science Behind Night Guards for Better Sleep
Because night guards can prevent dental issues and moderate mouth position to ensure more comfort, their role in improving sleep is significant. Mouth guards manage dental conditions by reducing muscle activity, preventing excessive grinding, and promoting quieter sleep.
Additionally, because they promote the natural alignment of your jaw, they can ensure unobstructed airways, which can reduce snoring and reduce the risk of sleep apnea. An unobstructed airflow also ensures healthier, uninterrupted breathing patterns.
It's Time to Get Proper Sleep
Modern dentistry has seen a massive evolution from barber surgeons to today's advanced treatment methods — and night guards are no exception. They're one of the best solutions to sleep concerns caused by dental issues. They protect your teeth and transform your sleep quality for better overall health.
You don't have to let dental concerns interrupt your sleep any longer. Consider mouth guards to prevent a myriad of dental concerns and transform your sleep.
