Did you know kids’ sports guards can help with more than just broken teeth?

The custom guard was a game changer, even though the price tag stung a bit. For me, it also helped with jaw clenching (I grind my teeth when I’m stressed), which I didn’t expect. The headaches eased up too.

That’s wild, I never thought about guards helping with jaw clenching and headaches. I always just worried about chipped teeth or biting my tongue. Did your dentist mention that as a possible benefit, or did you just notice it on your own? I’m super anxious about grinding at night but haven’t tried a sports guard for it - wonder if it’s different from a night guard?

I totally get the anxiety about grinding - I've been a night grinder for years and honestly, it took me forever to realize it was causing more than just worn teeth. My dentist actually brought up the headaches and jaw pain thing after I mentioned waking up with a sore jaw most mornings. The custom night guard made a huge difference, but I did try a sports guard once (just because it was cheaper and I was desperate). For me, the sports guard felt bulky and didn't fit as snugly, so I kept waking up with it half out of my mouth.

The night guard my dentist made was thinner and molded to my teeth, so it stayed put and was way more comfortable. I still clench sometimes, but the headaches are way less frequent now. If you’re worried about grinding at night, I’d say the custom night guard is worth considering even though it’s a bit of an investment. The relief from jaw pain alone was a surprise bonus for me.

That’s really interesting about the headaches and jaw pain. I’ve been wondering if my kid’s teeth grinding at night could be behind her cranky mornings and those random “my head hurts” complaints. Our dentist mentioned a sports guard too, but I was skeptical since it just seemed like overkill for someone who isn’t playing contact sports yet. Now I’m starting to see there might be more to it.

Here’s what happened for us:
1. We noticed our daughter was clenching her jaw in her sleep (sometimes you could actually hear it - super unsettling).
2. She started complaining about sore jaws and sometimes headaches, which we didn’t connect to her mouth at first.
3. The dentist suggested trying a store-bought sports guard as a first step, mainly because she’s still losing baby teeth and a custom one would be pricey and probably need replacing soon anyway.

The sports guard was… okay? It definitely kept her from grinding down her teeth, but she hated how thick it felt and would spit it out by morning half the time. Plus, she said she couldn’t talk with it in (which, fair, but also bedtime is not exactly chat hour). The upside was that after a few weeks, the jaw pain seemed to ease up a bit, so I guess it did something.

I’m torn about investing in a custom night guard while she’s still growing. On one hand, I totally get that comfort is everything if you want them to actually use it. On the other hand, if her teeth are still shifting around, is it worth the cost? Has anyone had a kid use a custom one before all their adult teeth are in?

Honestly, I never thought about how much this stuff affects more than just teeth. If there’s even a chance it helps with headaches and crankiness, maybe it’s worth another look. Kids aren’t always great at explaining what hurts or why, so sometimes you have to piece it together like a detective...

We went through this with our son - same deal, loud grinding and morning grumpiness. The cheap sports guard worked but he hated it, kept spitting it out too. Our dentist said a custom one wasn’t worth it until his teeth settled, which honestly made sense. Have you noticed if your daughter’s headaches get better when she actually keeps the guard in all night? Sometimes I wonder if half the battle is just getting them to wear it...

- We’ve been dealing with the same thing with our youngest. He grinds like crazy at night - sometimes you can hear it from down the hall.
- Tried a couple of those boil-and-bite guards from the drugstore. He’d wear it for an hour, then it’d end up under his pillow or on the floor by morning.
- Honestly, I don’t blame him. They taste weird and feel super bulky.
- Headaches were a big thing for us too. When he actually kept the guard in (rare, but it happened), mornings were way better - less cranky, fewer “my head hurts” complaints before school.
- The dentist said not to bother with a custom one until his teeth stop shifting so much (he’s 9). Makes sense, but sometimes I wonder if a better fit would help him actually use it more?
- Half the battle is just convincing them to wear the thing, for sure. We tried letting him pick out a case with his favorite character on it… didn’t really help, but he liked showing it off to his sister.
- One tip: we started putting it in right after brushing teeth, before any screen time or reading in bed. Seemed to help him get used to having it in before falling asleep.
- Not sure if that’s helpful, but maybe worth a shot if you haven’t tried already.
- Still feels like we’re just waiting for him to grow out of this phase… fingers crossed he does before he grinds his molars down to nothing.