Ways You Can Extend The Life Of Your Night Guard
Your custom night guard is a great tool to keep the effects of your bruxism minimal. But oftentimes, dental guard care is neglected because people don’t give much importance to it. In reality, if you don’t care for your dental guards, it can lead to germ and bacteria buildup, ultimately harming your oral health. Not to mention it’ll damage your dental guard, and you’ll have to get new ones frequently. Here are a couple of ways to extend the life of your night guards.
How To Extend The Life Of Your Mouthguards?
Keep Your Dental Guard Clean
Rinsing your dental guards before and after every use is the bare minimum requirement to keep them clean. In case there’s any dirt accumulation, you should wash it with water before using it. Secondly, wash them with soap or toothpaste once you’re done wearing them.
Store It In A Clean Place
Where you store your night guard plays a huge role in its shelf life. Usually, you’re given a protective case to store your dental guard, but many people leave their guards out on their nightstands. As a result, they gather dirt and end up getting damaged.
Keep The Dental Guard Dry
When you’re not using the dental guard, store it in a dry place away from heat and moisture, as these two things do the most damage to your mouthguards. It can also lead to discoloration and cause your mouthguards to wrap and ruin their shape.
Use A Toothbrush To Brush The Dental Guard
If you’re worried about bacterial accumulation in the crevices of your dental guard, you can use a clean toothbrush and even toothpaste to clean the dental guards after you’re done wearing them. It not only keeps the guards germ-free and gives them a fresh feel.
Keep The Dental Guard’s Case Clean
If you do all you can to take care of your night guard but forget to keep the case clean, all of your efforts will go to waste. That’s because the dirt accumulated in the case will be transferred to the dental guard, eventually ruining it. But cleaning the case isn’t easy. Since it’s made from plastic, it has tiny pores that can accumulate cleaning solution residue, which can damage dental guards. So using just water and a cloth to clean it is a better option.
What Types Of Dental Guards Are Available?
Soft Dental Guards
Soft dental guards are the most commonly available ones. These are great for light teeth grinding and clenching and are comfortable to wear. They’re made from rubber-like, soft plastic that can be worn all night without any issues. They’re also pretty thin, so you won’t even notice after a while.
Hard Dental Guards
Hard night guards are a better option for moderate to heavy teeth grinding. These guards are around 2mm thick and offer better results compared to a soft dental guard. They’re also much more comfortable to wear than an ultra-hard dental guard. But since these guards are also on the stiffer side, it’ll take a while for you to break them in and feel comfortable. But once you do, you can wear them all night long without any issues.
Ultra-Hard Dental Guards
Ultra-hard dental is the most durable option out there. These are made out of hard elasticized copolyester materials that can buffer vigorous teeth grinding. These guards are around 3mm thick and are a bit less comfortable than others on the list. This is because they’re a bit rigid, and you need longer to break them in for daily wear. But they last longer than softer dental guards and are more effective in subduing the effects of bruxism, like headaches, jaw pain, and chipped teeth.
Sport Mouthguards
Sports mouthguards are specially-made mouthguards for athletes that protect their teeth from sports-related injuries. They are usually thicker and bulkier than a regular dental guard and are made to absorb a higher amount of force during a game. So naturally, they aren’t good for protecting against bruxism, but if you play sports, you should invest in a custom sports mouthguard.
Common FAQs About Dental Guards
How Long Does A Night Guard Last?
A night guard’s durability varies depending on the type, usage, and upkeep. If you take care of your guard, it can last a long time. However, some lightweight guards are made from flexible materials that might break even if you take care of them properly.
Aside from that, if you’re not cleaning it properly, the guard will have plenty of bacterial deposits and even mold. At that stage, it’s recommended to get a new one as the older one can damage your oral health and, by extension, your teeth.
How Often Should I Clean It?
Ideally, you should clean it before and after wearing it. Since the guard is mostly clean before you wear it, a quick rinse under the faucet is good enough. But if you’re cleaning it after you’ve worn it for the night, you need something extra to get rid of the bacteria and germ buildup over the night.
A simple solution is to use a toothbrush to clean the dental guard since the bristles on a toothbrush can easily reach the small crevices. Additionally, once in a while, you should deep clean it by soaking it in soapy water or mouthwash to eliminate any bacterial growth or mold development.
Do I Have To Wear A Night Guard Every Night?
That solely depends on your condition. If you have severe bruxism that prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep and leads to headaches and jaw pain, then you’ll have to wear it every night. But if you have light bruxism that occasionally affects you, then you can wear your mouthguards according to your needs.
Are Mouthguards Comfortable To Wear?
If you opt for over-the-counter dental guards, they might be uncomfortable to wear since they don’t match your exact dental profile. They can also lead to gum swelling if you wear them for too long. But if you opt for a custom mouthguard, it’s much more comfortable since it’s made to fit your exact dental profile. It doesn’t dig into your gums and is made from high-quality materials. Custom guards don’t break easily either if you have severe bruxism. However, in the beginning, you’ll feel uncomfortable wearing a night guard because it takes a while to break it in.
Which Night Guard Suits Me Best?
This depends entirely on your comfort levels, usage, and level of bruxism. If you have mild bruxism and only need a guard during sleep, a soft guard would be best for you. on the other hand, if your teeth constantly hurry from teeth grinding and you often wake up with severe headaches, then you’ll need something tougher like a hard or an ultra-hard dental guard. Both types of dental guards have different thicknesses and comfort levels.
Try Our Custom Dental Guards From Clear Comfort Night Guards
Custom dental guards offer a better fit and are made for your specific teeth profile. They’re also made from high-quality materials and offer a better fit. Clear Comfort Night Guards is a dental lab located in California offering high-quality mouthguards to its clients.
These dental guards are custom made night guards by dental technicians that use your precise jaw profile to ensure the guard fits perfectly. When you order from the Clear Comfort Night Guard website, you will receive an impression kit to allow you to create a mold of your teeth. This mold helps the technicians produce an exact model of your teeth.
Our dental night teeth guards are available in a variety of materials, including soft, hard, and ultra-hard. In addition, we supply lightweight, ultra-soft dental guards for bruxism. In addition, we provide speedy shipping, a money-back guarantee, and simple returns.
You can even use our handy quiz to determine which night guard is right for you. Browse our selection and place your order today!
