night guard for teeth

[redbird]

The ENT recommended an over-the-counter night guard to protect me from clenching my teeth/jaw in my sleep. I got one a few days ago, tried following the instructions on how to shape it, and found that it was uncomfortable enough that I couldn't fall asleep.

So, yesterday I tried reforming it, and seem to have gotten a better fit. It's still distracting, but less so:; I fell asleep with it on, woke in the middle of the night, took it out, and went back to sleep. I hope that even wearing it for part of the night will do some good, although so far it's not preventing the odd feeling in my ear that was the symptom that got me to the ENT in the first place.

The instructions say to put it in an hour before going to sleep. Whoever wrote that presumably sleeps alone, because having the thing in interferes with talking. My tentative plan is to put it on a few minutes before turning the light out, and see how it goes.

Comments

[tarasacon]

I’m not questioning your sensory perception, as I have similar issues, including multiple sleep disorders, but asking out of curiosity - does your brain interpret [in your mouth] as [touching your face]?

Asking because my brain differentiates the two, so while it took a week or three of practice before I could keep it in all night, I eventually learned to sleep with a tooth guard in place. My sleep improved after that because apparently the jaw alignment helped with some breathing issues/apnea. (But trying to sleep with the face mask for a cpap machine was a no go.) Obviously ymmv!

Anyway, I find how brains map things to be fascinating. :)

[sabotabby]

Oh, good point! I haven't really tested it out. I used to have braces and headgear, and that was difficult for me, but I was a kid and my ability to sleep was better back then.