I feel you on the anxious jaw clenching thing...honestly, I think that's probably what's shortening mine too. I've noticed that on nights when I'm extra stressed or worried about something, my jaw feels super sore the next morning, and I can actually see deeper grooves in the mouthguard. It's kinda wild how much tension we carry there without even realizing it.
One thing my dentist recommended was doing some quick jaw relaxation exercises before bed—it sounded kinda silly at first, but it actually helps me a lot. Basically, you gently massage your jaw muscles (right around your cheeks and near your ears) in small circles for a minute or two, then slowly open and close your mouth a few times to loosen things up. It doesn't completely stop the clenching, but I've definitely noticed fewer deep marks and less soreness overall.
Also, if you're worried about wearing down your mouthguard prematurely, you might wanna double-check with your dentist about the material they're using. My first one was made from a softer material, and I went through it super fast. The next one I got was a bit sturdier—still comfortable but more durable—and it's held up noticeably better so far (fingers crossed).
And yeah, the cost is no joke...I dread having to replace mine too. If you haven't already, maybe check if your dental insurance covers replacements after a certain amount of time? Mine covers part of it once every couple of years, which eases the wallet pain just a tiny bit.
Have you tried switching between two mouthguards instead of just relying on one sturdier one? I used to go through mine pretty fast too, but since alternating between two, I've noticed they both seem to last longer. Maybe giving the material a break every other night helps it bounce back a bit...could be worth asking your dentist about, especially if insurance helps cover replacements.
Hmm, interesting idea—I haven't tried alternating mouthguards myself. Usually, mine last about 8-10 months before looking pretty rough. Switching them out might help reduce wear and tear though...I'll definitely bring it up at my next dentist visit, thanks for the tip!
"Switching them out might help reduce wear and tear though..."
Yeah, that makes sense... I've only had mine for about 4 months now, and it's already showing some tiny cracks. Maybe alternating would ease the stress on it? Definitely something I'll ask my dentist about too.
I've tried alternating mine before, and honestly, I'm not sure it really helped much. I thought switching them out would extend their life, but it seemed like both just wore down at about the same rate anyway. Maybe it's more about the material or how aggressively you grind? My dentist mentioned something about thicker, custom-made ones lasting longer, but I haven't tried that yet—kind of pricey and I'm not convinced it'll make a huge difference...
