You brush, you floss, you eat well, you take great care of your teeth and gums, and you see your dentist for regular checkups. You also get enough sleep, and you exercise. So what’s the problem? Surprisingly, it’s those last two – the sleep and the exercise.
Many people have the very damaging habit of grinding and clenching their teeth when they sleep. It’s called bruxism and it wears down the tooth enamel, cracks the teeth and leads to jaw problems, morning headaches and sometimes TMJ. As for exercise, some sports, especially team and contact sports, are putting your teeth and soft oral tissues (like the tongue and cheeks) at risk for damage, undoing all those great dental habits you have developed. The answer to both of these problems is a customized mouthguard from our Elk Grove dentists at the Case Dental Group.
Sports Mouthguards
Exercise is great for your general health and well-being, but it’s not just seasoned hockey players, boxers, and martial artists losing teeth while playing their sports. Many young, amateur and weekend athletes are at risk too. When it comes to thrown or hit balls, flying sports equipment, fellow athletes slamming into you or you slamming the ground – your teeth are often the first to take the impact. In these situations, you have three choices:
- Hope for the best and do not protect your teeth.
- Purchase a generic, ill-fitting and uncomfortable mouthguard at the store.
- Wear a comfortable, snug and protective custom mouthguard made just for you.
The smart choice, recommended by the American Dental Association for athletes professional and recreational, is Option Number 3 — get a custom mouthguard!
Nighttime Mouthguards
At night, in bed, it seems that your mouth is safe and sound, protected from any possible damage by your quiet surroundings. That is not the case, however, if you grind your teeth. You may not even be aware of this habit, and only find out when a sleeping partner complains. Perhaps during your regular dental visit it becomes clear that you’ve been wearing down your teeth with grinding or clenching. You may even have terrible jaw pain unrelated to daytime activities. Again, you have three choices:
- Hope for the best and do not protect your teeth.
- Purchase a generic, ill-fitting and uncomfortable mouthguard at the store.
- Wear a comfortable, snug and protective custom mouthguard made just for you.
The dentists at the Case Dental Group strongly recommend that you choose Option Number 3, a customized nightguard made just for you.
Make an appointment to see how easy it is to order one, then play and sleep with the assurance your teeth are safe and protected.