I've been thinking about teeth grinding lately, mostly because my dentist mentioned it last visit. She suggested a night guard, but honestly, seems kinda uncomfortable to sleep with something in your mouth every night. But then I wondered, um, what if I just ignored it? Like, would it really mess up my teeth or jaw over time? Has anyone here tried skipping the night guard thing and regretted it later? Curious how big a deal this actually is.
I totally get the hesitation—sleeping with a chunk of plastic in your mouth isn't exactly appealing, lol. But honestly, ignoring teeth grinding can lead to bigger headaches down the road (literally). I skipped the night guard at first, thinking it wasn't a big deal, and ended up with chipped teeth and constant jaw pain. Trust me, getting used to the guard is way easier than dealing with dental repairs later...and cheaper too. Just my two cents from experience!
"sleeping with a chunk of plastic in your mouth isn't exactly appealing, lol."
Haha, seriously...my kiddo hated it at first too. But after hearing horror stories about cracked teeth and jaw issues, I figured better safe than sorry. Still anxious about it, but it's getting easier each night.
I've been wondering about this too...do you think the mouthguard is always necessary? I mean, I've read some people manage to reduce grinding by addressing stress or even changing sleep positions. Have you tried any of those approaches first, or did your dentist jump straight to recommending the guard? Just curious if there might be other effective options before committing to sleeping with plastic every night.
I get why you'd hesitate about the mouthguard—it does take some getting used to. When my dentist first suggested one, I wasn't thrilled either. But honestly, after a few nights, I barely noticed it anymore. Ignoring teeth grinding isn't great in the long run because it gradually wears down your enamel and can lead to sensitivity or even jaw pain over time. Stress management might help, sure, but if the grinding is severe enough, a guard can really save you from bigger issues later on.
