Night guards, plainly
A night guard is a shell of plastic worn over your top or bottom teeth while you sleep. When your teeth meet in the night, they meet the guard instead of each other. That is a useful job, and a narrower one than some packaging suggests.
General information, not medical advice.
Whether you need a guard, and which kind, is a decision for you and your dentist.
What a guard is for
The NHS describes the mouth guards and splints a dentist may recommend as worn at night to protect your teeth from damage, made to fit precisely over your upper or lower teeth. The American Dental Association’s MouthHealthy site says the same thing in fewer words: your dentist may recommend a night guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.
Protection from wear is the point. Both sources list worn, chipped or broken teeth among the things grinding can lead to, and a guard puts something softer than enamel in the way.
What this guide doesn’t claim
Nothing here describes a guard as stopping grinding, or as treating jaw pain or any other condition. If your jaw hurts, raise it with your dentist, who may want to look at other causes as well.
A sports mouthguard is a different object, too. MouthHealthy notes that guards made for sport carry extra cushioning that probably won’t be comfortable to sleep in, so the one in your gym bag isn’t a stand-in.
The three kinds people ask about
MouthHealthy sorts mouthguards into three families. Here is how they differ once you’re actually holding one.
Custom-fitted
Made for you by your dental practice from a mould of your teeth. MouthHealthy says a custom guard gives the closest, most comfortable fit. It costs more than the other two and means time at the practice, but the person who made it can check how it sits on your bite and look at it again at later check-ups.
Boil-and-bite
Sold in pharmacies, sports shops and online. You soften it in hot water, bite into it, and it sets roughly to the shape of your teeth. MouthHealthy says these may fit better than stock guards, and to follow the maker’s instructions exactly. It also cautions that night guards sold in stores may not give the same protection as one made for you. Some people buy one while they wait for an appointment, partly to find out whether they can sleep with anything in their mouth at all.
Stock
Pre-formed and ready to wear straight out of the packet. They’re the least expensive, and MouthHealthy is blunt about them: they often don’t fit well, can be bulky, and can make breathing and talking difficult. A guard you pull out half asleep at 2am and find on the floor in the morning protected nothing, so fit matters more than it looks on the shelf.
Questions to ask your dentist
- Can you see wear, chips or cracks that a guard would protect?
- For my teeth, is a custom guard worth it, or is an over-the-counter one reasonable to start with?
- Upper teeth or lower? Hard material or soft?
- What should it feel like in the first week, and what would tell me it doesn’t fit?
- Should I bring it to my check-ups so you can look at it?
- How will I know when it needs replacing?
- If my jaw is sore, what else should we be looking at?
- Is there anything besides a guard worth trying? Both the NHS and Cleveland Clinic mention things like managing stress and cutting back on alcohol and caffeine.
The conversation goes further when you arrive with more than “I think I grind”. A week of nights you listened to yourself, plus a few notes on how your jaw felt, gives your dentist something concrete to weigh. Bruxa is made for that week: it records on your iPhone, lines up the night’s sounds for you to play and mark, and with Bruxa PRO exports a Dentist Report holding only the moments you confirmed, your jaw check-ins and your notes.
Looking after a guard
MouthHealthy’s care advice for mouthguards, in practical order:
- Rinse it before and after you wear it, or brush it with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Every so often, clean it in cool, soapy water and rinse it thoroughly.
- Store it in a sturdy case with vents, so it can dry out between nights.
- Keep it away from heat. No hot water, no sunny windowsill, no car dashboard in summer. A boil-and-bite guard was shaped by heat in the first place.
- Put the case somewhere the dog can’t reach. MouthHealthy mentions pets treating guards as chew toys, and anyone who has lost one that way will believe it.
- Take it to your dental check-ups, and replace it if it cracks, wears thin or stops fitting.
Not sure you grind yet?
Start with Do I grind my teeth at night? A week of listening and notes costs nothing and gives your dentist something to go on before anyone takes a mould.
About Bruxa and this guide
Bruxa is a wellness and awareness tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, screen for, treat or prevent bruxism or any other condition, and it does not recommend any particular guard. This guide is general information. If you have pain, worn or sensitive teeth, or any concern, talk to your dentist.