I get the dry mouth thing too, especially with the nightguard in—sometimes I wake up and my gums feel kinda sticky or just off. Do you think the nightguard could actually make gums more irritated if it doesn’t fit right? I’ve wondered if that’s part of why my teeth feel weird some mornings, not just the grinding.
I’ve noticed the same thing—my gums sometimes feel raw after a night with the guard in. If it’s even a little off in terms of fit, it can rub against your gums or trap saliva in weird spots, which definitely makes things feel worse. Do you ever get those little sore spots where the plastic presses? I had to get mine adjusted because it was making my front teeth ache more than the grinding ever did. I wonder if some of that “off” feeling is just from irritation, not actual tooth movement.
I had to get mine adjusted because it was making my front teeth ache more than the grinding ever did.
Same here—mine was a cheaper one from the drugstore and honestly, it made my gums way more sore than I expected. I kept thinking my teeth were loose, but turns out it was just the plastic digging in. Once I trimmed the edges a bit (not sure if you’re “supposed” to, but whatever), it felt better. Still kind of annoying, though.
I totally get what you mean about the drugstore guards—mine felt like a mouthful of Lego bricks at first. I actually thought my teeth were getting loose too, but it was just that weird pressure from the plastic. I trimmed mine down with nail scissors (probably not dentist-approved, but hey, it helped). It’s wild how something meant to protect your teeth can make them feel even weirder... At least the aching stopped once I got it to fit better. Still, nothing beats the relief of realizing your teeth aren’t actually falling out!
- Been there, that “mouthful of Lego bricks” feeling is way too real.
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Same! I legit poked at my teeth for days thinking I’d done something terrible.“I actually thought my teeth were getting loose too, but it was just that weird pressure from the plastic.”
- Trimming mine down helped a bit, but I was nervous about hacking off too much. Not sure if dentists would approve, but desperate times...
- The pressure faded after a week or so for me. If it still feels weird after that, maybe worth checking in with your dentist just to be safe.
- Honestly, the anxiety about losing teeth was worse than the guard itself. Glad to hear it’s not just me.
