What It Means If Your Teeth Hurt After Wearing A Mouth Guard
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is a condition that can cause you to clench or gnash your teeth, either when you’re awake or asleep. If your teeth grinding is severe enough, it can cause tooth damage, headaches, and disorders of the jaw. In these cases, your doctor or dentist may recommend a one, which you can wear while sleeping, to prevent tooth grinding. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), there are several different mouth guards you can get, although the best option is one that has been custom-made for you by your dentist. However, in lieu of a custom job, you can also get what’s called a “boil and bite” guard, which is softened in boiling water and then inserted to allow it to adapt to the shape of your mouth. If you’re looking for something fast and cheap, the ADA says that you can pick up a stock mouth guard, which comes pre-formed. The downside of these is that they tend to be bulky and do not fit very well.
Wearing a mouth guard should not cause any pain, but there are some instances when a guard can actually make your symptoms worse. If you’re waking up with sore teeth, even after sleeping with a gaurd, you may have to rethink your situation.
Your mouth guard might not fit
If you’re waking up with an aching jaw, the first problem could be that your mouth guard is not properly fitted to your mouth. It could be too large or too small, thereby not giving you the nightly protection your teeth require. In these cases, you should see a specialist in order to have a custom-made night guard created for you. In other cases, a mouth guard can actually cause your teeth to shift, leading to jaw misalignment.