That adjustment period can be tough, especially for kids. I remember when I first got my night guard—felt like I had a hockey puck in my mouth for weeks. My dentist told me it’s pretty normal to drool and taste plastic at first, but the taste faded after a month or so. If she’s still waking up and spitting it out after a few more weeks, it might be worth having the fit checked again. Sometimes even tiny tweaks make a big difference. And yeah, thinner guards are comfier, but mine wore out faster... always seems like there’s a trade-off. Hang in there—it does get easier with time.
Man, I totally get it. My first night guard felt like I was trying to sleep with a flip-flop in my mouth. The drooling was next-level—my pillow looked like I'd spilled a glass of water on it every morning. It took me a good month before I stopped waking up halfway through the night just to yank it out. The taste thing faded eventually, but yeah, those first few weeks are rough. Hang in there—it really does get less weird after a while.
Totally relate to this. The first few nights, I actually thought I’d never get used to it—felt like I was chewing on a hockey puck. Honestly, the drooling was out of control at first, but for me, it settled down after about two weeks. Here’s the thing: if it still feels massive after a month, it might be worth checking if it’s too bulky or not fitting right. Custom ones help, but even then, there’s always that awkward break-in period... No way around it, really.
if it still feels massive after a month, it might be worth checking if it’s too bulky or not fitting right.
That’s interesting, because I’m about three weeks in and mine still feels huge every night, even though it was custom-made. I wonder if some people just never really adapt to the sensation? Also, does anyone else find that their speech is weirdly affected in the morning, or is that just me overthinking it?
My kid’s had a night guard for months and still complains it feels like a hockey puck. Custom or not, I think some folks (kids or adults) just never get used to that bulk. And yeah, the lisp in the morning is real—our breakfast conversations sound hilarious.
