For those reading this post who know what a dental night guard is, it’s most likely you just cringed at the thought. For those who are not familiar with this dental appliance, it’s an effective dental tool but it’s not the most attractive thing to put on at night. It is similar to a sports mouth guard in appearance. At Bells Corners Family Dentistry, we want to explain why even though it’s not appealing to wear, a dental night guard, if used properly, has great benefits to your daily oral health when dealing with specific symptoms.

Recently we wrote a blog post on teeth-grinding and what painful symptoms go hand-in-hand with it. In our blog post titled “Is Teeth-grinding Getting You Down? We Can Help” we discuss some key factors that indicate the need for an urgent appointment. Depending on your level of damage, we may recommend that you get fitted for a dental night guard when you come in to visit us. Jaw pain is not something to be taken lightly, it often impacts daily tasks and can cause severe damage that could lead to the need for dental surgery. In that light it makes a dental night guard look good.

A way to determine if you need to come in for an urgent visit is by attempting to reduce your jaw clenching and/or teeth grinding yourself. We understand that when you sleep, you cannot control this. However, there are some tactics that you can implement that may help you reduce these issues. If you are a smoker, try and quit, or at a minimum stop smoking before going to bed. Limiting your consumption of caffeine and alcohol will help control your energy levels. Before you go to sleep, use relaxation techniques to help combat stress. Techniques that may help lower your stress levels could include listening to gentle music, taking a hot bath, meditating, yoga, or going for a walk.

If these tactics begin to work, you may prolong your appointment, however, if ever you are still concerned we always recommend that you come in to get checked out. It’s better safe than sorry. If the jaw pain is as bad as ever, after applying the suggested tactics, we strongly recommend that you book an urgent appointment. With X-rays and other examination methods, we can get to the root of the issue and make a customized plan to help alleviate your discomfort. We look forward to answering any questions you may have about your jaw pain and we are ready to help you. You can conveniently book your appointment online or give us a call at 613-596-6447. Together, we can bring back that pain-free smile!