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If you have a problem with teeth grinding at night, you need to wear a night guard (also known as an occlusal guard) to protect your teeth. This plastic dental appliances are worn in your mouth while sleeping and do a great job keeping your top and bottom teeth from rubbing together. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to sleep with a night guard in their mouth. The good news is, it usually only takes a little patience to get used to the device.
The best way to get used to a night guard is to find one that fits your mouth in the first place. Ideally, you should ask your dentist for a custom-fitted mouthpiece. However, purchasing one this way can cost $500 or more, and that expense probably isn’t covered by your insurance. In that case, you may have to resort to an OTC mouth guard from a drug store or online retailer (for a buying guide, see this site).
If you get a custom-fitted mouth guard, your dentist will probably walk you through how to wear it – at which point you can point out any discomfort you might feel with the device, and ask questions. It’s quite likely that the occlusal guard will feel awkward at first. Your dentist can help you decide whether this is just the novelty of wearing a mouthpiece for the first time, or if there’s something amiss with the fitting.
If you’re buying over the counter, however, you’ll need to do the fitting yourself. Some night guards mold to your mouth after being submerged in hot water, while others have sliders that adjust to fit your mouth. In either case, you should spend a good amount of time making sure the device fits as comfortably as possible. A little time spent getting it right in the first place can save you a lot of time in readjustments later.
To get used to wearing a night guard, you should adjust your nightly routine. If you put the night guard in right before turning out the light, you may find that your mind focuses too much attention on it, making sleep difficult. Try putting the mouth guard in at least 15 minutes before bed. This works especially well if you read before bed, as it makes it easier for your mind and body to get used to having a plastic device lodged in your mouth.
Other than that, the most useful advice is just to give the night guard some time. It may continue to feel awkward for a few nights, but after that, it should gradually start to blend in to your routine. If it doesn’t, it may be time to look for a new night guard for your teeth grinding problem.
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