Using Sleep Mouthguards: What You Should Know
It’s hard to know exactly what goes on with your body while you are sleeping. Knowing your sleep behaviors is important to the quality of sleep you get and your overall health.
From breathing to snoring to teeth grinding and clenching, mouthguards can provide a ways to solve the problem.
Using a Mouth Guard for Snoring
Snoring is a common problem for a lot of sleepers. While it is pretty normal to snore, you should also be aware when your snoring is the sign of a bigger health issue.
People who have conditions like sleep apnea have different treatment options but mouthguards are becoming popular. Sleep apnea can be caused by obesity, heart problems, high blood pressure, and more.
In this, the soft tissues of the mouth block the airway when you’re sleeping due to them becoming relaxed.
Sleep mouthguards for snoring can help by:
- Moving the jaw forward.
- Increasing the size of the airway.
- Reducing the resistance that causes snoring.
How Mouthguards Help Teeth Grinding and Clenching
Most people find out that they are grinding or clenching their teeth in their sleep because it’s audible to others. If you don’t make a loud enough noise, other telltale signs are:
- Your teeth getting dull.
- Chips and cracks in your teeth.
- Pain while chewing.
- Muscle and jaw soreness in the morning.
Teeth clenching and grinding can also be the results of a poor sleep pattern. Anxiety, stress, and tension will always find their way to your sleep behaviors.
Mouthguards can help this by creating a protective barrier in your mouth.
How to Choose the Best Mouth Guard
Sleep mouthguards can be found over the counter but just like anything that deals with the shape of your mouth, it’s best to get a custom fit. Dentists can help you perfectly mold your mouthguard so you don’t have to worry about it not comfortably fitting in your mouth.
Over-the-counter mouthguards also tend to be softer and when your mouth feels that while sleeping, the natural reaction would be to chew it. Mouthguards from dentists are more firm and fit like a retainer.
Mouthguards can help you with your dental and sleep health. The BetterSleep app can also the quality of your sleep for free. Download the app today for different sleep resources.
