Does a Night Guard Stop Teeth Grinding?

Many people expect a night guard to cure teeth grinding. It does something different, and knowing the difference helps you get the most from it.

What a night guard does

It sits between your upper and lower teeth while you sleep. The grinding force goes into the guard instead of your enamel, crowns, veneers or implant restorations. For some people it also eases the load on tired jaw muscles.

What it does not do

It does not switch grinding off. Sleep grinding is linked to how sleep works and to factors such as stress, poor or broken sleep, snoring or breathing pauses at night, some medicines, caffeine, alcohol and smoking. Many people still grind with the guard in; the guard simply takes the wear.

Treating the causes

Sleep. Keep regular hours, reduce screens before bed, and ask your doctor about snoring or pauses in breathing.

Stress and daytime clenching. Short relaxation breaks and the lips together, teeth apart habit reduce the total load on your jaw.

Medicines and habits. Review your medicines with your doctor, avoid caffeine late in the day, and cut down on alcohol and smoking.

When to see a dentist

If your guard cracks, wears through or no longer fits, or you still wake with jaw pain, book an examination. A guard made and checked by a dentist covers the teeth evenly; poorly fitting guards worn for a long time can move teeth.

Read more

Night guard care and a 30-day tracker are in my book, The Bruxism Solution, now on Amazon Kindle.

General information for patients. It does not replace an examination.