What to do if you want good oral health? You must pay attention to your body signals. It can be difficult to recognise certain necessities. But don’t worry, we are here to help. That’s why this time, we have prepared this article where we’ll tell you how to know when you need a mouthguard and when its use is recommended.
Depending on your objective, you can find different dental mouthguards. The most usual are retention, orthodontic, and periodontal stabilisation splints. The discharge splint is also very common. It is used to prevent teeth grinding and relieves dental tension at night, relaxing the jaw.
After using, it is recommended that you rinse the mouthguard with mouthwash or water. To store it, place it already dry in a container at room temperature until the next time you need it.
How Do I Know If I Need A Dental Mouthguard?
You Chip a Tooth
One of the most common causes of a chipped tooth is bruxism or grinding of the teeth. When you have this condition, you often squeeze or put pressure on your teeth almost exaggeratedly.
While this can be treated professionally with a filling or extraction, the patient will need to wear a mouthguard to prevent other teeth from being affected and broken as well.
You Have Chronic Grinding
Bruxism is a sign that you need to wear a mouth guard, especially if it is chronic bruxism. Mouthguards are ideal for preventing the grinding that is done while sleeping.
Although this device will not stop jaw clenching, it can minimise the negative effects on your teeth if you grind them every night. It also helps prevents other problems related to fractures or loosening of teeth and changes in the face.
You Wake Up with a Headache
Headache is a common consequence of bruxism. But if you are not sure that it is due to this, pay attention to the following symptoms to find out.
- It is a constant dull ache.
- Start around the temples or behind the eyes.
- The pain sometimes extends to the upper and lower lip, teeth, and gums.
Unfortunately, if these symptoms are familiar to you, the headache may be the product of bruxism. Therefore it is advisable to use a mouthguard.
You Have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
People with this disorder need to rest their jaws. This disease is characterised by: difficulty or discomfort when biting or chewing, making a clicking or grinding sound when opening or closing the mouth, dull facial pain in the face, ear pain, headache, pain or tenderness in the jaw and a tendency to have a jaw lock.
The mouth guard can help relieve pain and relax the jaw muscles, providing almost immediate relief to the patient.
You Take Antidepressants
Finally, it is relevant to highlight that some antidepressants have the side effect of producing bruxism. So it is recommended that you protect your teeth with a mouthguard, preventing the appearance of the problem.
Teeth grinding is a common problem, but dental guards can make a big difference and prevent you from suffering. Ask our Bendigo dentists for the right mouthguard for you. We can help you with this and other oral conditions for your oral health.
