Protect Your Teeth While You Sleep With a Night Guard

February 5, 2022

Do you often wake up with headaches or experience jaw pain? Have you been told that you grind your teeth? If you answered yes, you may benefit from wearing a night guard to protect your pearly whites. A night guard is a plastic retainer-like dental appliance that covers the biting surfaces and can be worn on either the bottom or top set of teeth.

4 Benefits of Night Guards

#1. Prevents tooth damage

Wearing a night guard ensures your top teeth and bottom teeth don’t make contact while you sleep. Teeth grinding is common and can wreak havoc on your teeth.


Grinding causes teeth to lose enamel, which results in overly sensitive teeth. Other problems associated with grinding include damage to fillings. Teeth can also chip or break if you grind your teeth hard enough.

#2. Reduces jaw tension and pain

Another common thing people do in their sleep is clench their jaw. Wearing a dental night guard decreases both jaw tension and pain caused by TMD.

#3. Prevents headaches

If you routinely wake up with headaches, you might be grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw shut in your sleep. This action can cause jaw pain and earaches, neck pain and muscle fatigue. A custom-made night guard can help prevent these issues.

#4. Inhibits snoring

When your jaw is clenched, you can experience breathing problems, which can lead to snoring. Wearing a night guard keeps your top and bottom jaws from touching. By keeping your jaws separate, there’s an increase in the amount of air you can breathe in while you sleep. This increase in air improves your breathing and reduces snoring.

Over-the-Counter vs Custom

While relatively inexpensive, OTC night guards are pre-molded to fit any mouth. The long-term use of such devices causes your bite to shift, as they have not been specifically made for the shape of your teeth.


We can create a night guard that’s custom-fitted and more comfortable than one you’d purchase at a store. When taken care of properly, a professionally crafted night guard can last many years.


Take that first step toward safeguarding your smile with a custom-crafted night guard. Reach out to us!

Person Smiling While Holding a Fork Over a Salad — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
July 29, 2026
Most people favor chewing on one side without ever realising it, until a sore tooth, a stiff jaw, or a dentist pointing it out during a checkup brings it to their attention.
Person Holding a Glass and Touching Their Cheek — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
July 4, 2026
The Real Difference Between Sensitive Teeth and a Toothache That sharp jolt when you drink something cold — is it sensitivity, or is it a toothache? Most people use the two terms interchangeably, but they actually describe different things happening in your mouth. Knowing the difference matters, because the right response to each is not [...]
Dental Drill Working on a Patient’s Teeth — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
June 27, 2026
Sometimes dental cleanings don't feel urgent because nothing hurts. But it’s important to understand what’s actually happening in your mouth during that time.
Close-up of a Smiling Mouth With a Missing Front Tooth — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
June 24, 2026
Parents might be surprised to learn how much of a child's oral health depends on their baby teeth remaining healthy.
A Dentist in Gloves Adjusts a Woman's Face — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
June 17, 2026
How your teeth meet up affects far more than the act of eating. It influences your jaw joints, your muscles, your sleep, and in some cases, even your posture.
Man Smiling at His Reflection in a Bathroom Mirror — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
May 17, 2026
Did you know that cavity risk isn't determined by oral hygiene alone?
Sleeping Child in Pink Pajamas — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
May 7, 2026
For people who mouth-breathe regularly (even if just while sleeping), the effects on oral health can be surprisingly significant.
Woman in a Light Tank Top Drinking Water From a Glass — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
April 1, 2026
Lemon water first thing in the morning. Sparkling water throughout the day. A kombucha with lunch. These feel like healthy habits, and some of them genuinely are. But there's a side effect most people don't hear much about: what all that acidity is quietly doing to your tooth enamel. It's one of those things that happens slowly enough that you don't notice it, but eventually becomes impossible to ignore.
Woman With Tongue Out, Looking at Her Reflection — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
March 22, 2026
Most people focus their dental self-checks on their teeth: looking for anything dark or broken, maybe running a tongue over a spot that feels off. But the tongue itself is one of the most informative surfaces in your mouth.
Person Covering Their Mouth With One Hand — Trinity Beach Dental In Trinity Beach, QLD
February 25, 2026
Stay hydrated throughout the day and drink a glass of water before bed.
Show More