"felt like sleeping with a hockey puck at first, lol."
Haha, that's exactly how I described it to my dentist when I first got mine. Honestly, I was pretty skeptical at first—like, how could something so uncomfortable actually help me sleep better? But after a few weeks, it did start feeling more natural. Now it's just part of my nightly routine, like brushing teeth or setting the alarm.
I ignored my grinding for years before finally giving in and getting the guard. Thought it was just stress or something temporary. But then one morning, I woke up with this awful headache and jaw pain that lasted all day. Dentist said I'd cracked a filling from grinding too hard...not fun (or cheap). So yeah, ignoring it definitely wasn't the best move on my part.
Glad you're already noticing improvements though. The jaw stretches are interesting—I never really tried those consistently. Might give them another shot now that you mention it. I've also heard some people swear by relaxation techniques or meditation before bed to ease tension. Haven't personally tried that yet...but who knows?
Anyway, sounds like you're doing great so far. Stick with it—it really does become second nature eventually.
I put off getting a guard for ages too, mostly because I thought the dentist was just trying to upsell me something expensive. But after cracking two molars (ouch and $$$), I gave in. Still hate wearing it, but it's better than more dental bills. Haven't tried meditation, but cutting back on caffeine in the evenings helped me relax my jaw a bit...might be worth a shot if you're still having issues.
"mostly because I thought the dentist was just trying to upsell me something expensive."
I totally get why it feels that way sometimes, but honestly, most of us genuinely hate seeing patients deal with cracked teeth. Night guards aren't perfect, but they're usually cheaper than fixing damaged molars...glad you found something that helps though!
I see your point, but honestly, dentists do recommend some pricey night guards that aren't always necessary. I've been using a cheaper drugstore version for years—no cracked teeth yet. Guess it depends on your grinding severity though...
We went through something similar with my daughter—she started grinding her teeth pretty badly around age 7. Our dentist suggested a custom guard, but the price was pretty steep, especially since kids grow out of them quickly. We ended up trying a drugstore version first, and honestly, it worked fine for her. But I do think severity matters...my nephew ignored his grinding for years and ended up needing dental work later. So yeah, probably best to keep an eye on it and adjust as needed.
