I still catch myself doing it, but it feels like it’s getting better. We’ll see what the dentist says at my next appointment. 8 months ago

Keeping my room dark, listening to calming music, distracting myself, keeping cool, etc is helping. 9 months ago

it was really comfortable! after maybe 15 minutes, the harder plastic on the sides that adjust it started digging in to my cheeks and i thought this wasn’t going to work, but after a few adjustments, it was perfect and i got used to it completely.

i had little shreds of plastic in my mouth, but maybe that’s a first week adjustment, cleaning thing. they were so tiny, i had to brush and floss to get everything off. and of course, if you’re grinding, i guess it comes with the territory that you’re going to be shredding some plastic. its non toxic though, which is nice.
haven’t slept so well in a year! 10 months ago

ok, i found an actual mouth guard. no boiling required. i don’t know why that part weirded me out, but it did. this one’s super light and small with little adjustable bite grips that twist and turn with your bite. trying it out tonight. it says initially, your mouth might be sore for the first week or so. makes sense. hope it works!
so far, it feels MUCH better than the sports guard i tried.
it also comes with a little case. it’s also non toxic plastic and bpa free. designed by a dentist. 30 days or your money back guarantee.
and cleaning is pretty easy (rinse with water and/or mouthwash) and it’s reusable hundreds of times.

i never realized how bad grinding your teeth could be. i thought it was just as bad as snoring, but honestly if this continues (it’s been about a year), big problems can arise. like cracking teeth, fillings, TMJ, grinding all the way down to the nerve (hello root canals? early dentures?), also teeth health is almost directly related to heart health and all kinds of other problems. also, to fix teeth after grinding, your only options are really dentures, crowns, veneers, implants, etc… which can cost up to thousands of dollars per tooth. it was probably worth the $500 dental night guard.

but… from what i hear… the store bought ones are workable. and some people even cure this by yoga and meditation. haven’t been able to do so yet. 10 months ago

i tried a sports mouth guard.
while i did appreciate the design and space for the front teeth to breath, it was too bulky to be able to use effectively. and actually too small to fit around my actual teeth.
i tried to just use it to bite down and not worry about the fit, but it was still uncomfortable.
i went to the doctor and got muscle relaxers and anti-tremor type stuff.
i’ve been practicing sticking my tounge on the roof of my mouth as often as possible and training myself. it works a little, but i can still feel myself doing those grinding mouth movements and especially clenching really hard. ouch! my whole jaw pops sometimes after this.
i’ll keep working on it. 11 months ago

my insurance doesn’t cover a nightguard and i’m not paying $500 for one. so, it’s off to a pharmacy or amazon to get one of the $20 disposable packs. good reviews on amazon with the Plackers brand. it’s thinner and fits better, but people have grinded through them. that’s ok, i think i’m more of a clencher. this is all stress related too, so maybe i should figure out a way to chill. i haven’t been hiking as much, so maybe i should get back into it. it’ll be hot soon, so maybe swimming will help too.

oh, also, diy sites say to just use a mouthguard. you can boil those to fit your mouth also. so, lots of alternatives… i’ll try a few and see if they work. 13 months ago

waiting to see if i can get a nightguard from the dentist. 13 months ago

i saw a dentist the other day and they were like “whoa, you grind your teeth really bad”. second time i’ve heard that (the first time, i thought it would just go away). i guess i have been under alot of stress and anxiety the last several years. i need to get a nightguard. 14 months ago