Glad you shared this! I totally get the hesitation about spending money on dental stuff—I was in the same boat for ages. Kept thinking, "Eh, it's probably not that big of a deal," until I started waking up with that dull ache in my jaw every morning. Tried the cheap pharmacy guard too, and yeah...mine ended up on the floor most nights. 😂
I did find that cutting caffeine later in the day helped a bit, and weirdly enough, reducing screen time before bed seemed to ease some tension too. But like you said, mindfulness and lifestyle tweaks only go so far if there's an underlying issue. Eventually, I bit the bullet (pun intended lol) and got a custom night guard from my dentist. It felt like a huge splurge at the time, but honestly, it was worth every penny. It's crazy how much better I sleep now, and no more headaches or jaw soreness.
It's cool your dentist gave you those temporary tips though—I wish I'd known about the jaw stretches earlier. Might've saved me a few months of discomfort. 😅 But yeah, investing upfront definitely beats paying for dental repairs later on. Glad you're feeling better now!
Totally relate to your experience with the pharmacy guards—I went through a couple myself before finally getting a custom one. It felt pricey at first, but honestly...the relief from morning headaches alone made it worth it. Glad you're doing better now!
You're spot-on about the custom guards being worth the investment. I often see patients hesitant at first because of the upfront cost, but when you factor in long-term dental damage from untreated grinding—like enamel wear, tooth fractures, or even gum recession—it actually saves you money (and pain) down the road. Plus, the comfort level is night and day compared to store-bought ones. Glad you found relief...it's really rewarding seeing the difference a proper guard can make.
"Plus, the comfort level is night and day compared to store-bought ones."
Couldn't agree more. I tried one of those drugstore guards first—figured I'd save some cash—but it was bulky and uncomfortable, and I ended up ditching it halfway through the night. Eventually, I bit the bullet (no pun intended...) and got a custom one. Honestly, the difference was immediate. Not only did my jaw pain ease up, but I also started sleeping better overall. Definitely worth it in the long run.
Reading this makes me feel a bit better about finally getting mine fitted next week. I've been putting it off for ages because, honestly, the idea of sleeping with something in my mouth just sounded super uncomfortable. But lately, the jaw pain and headaches have gotten worse, so I figured it's time to deal with it.
I did try one of those store-bought guards briefly, but yeah... bulky is an understatement. Felt like I was trying to sleep with a hockey puck in my mouth, haha. Glad to hear the custom ones are actually comfortable enough to make a difference. Fingers crossed mine works out similarly—I could really use some decent sleep again. Thanks for sharing your experience; it's reassuring to know there's hope!
