Can You Wear a Night Guard During the Day?

When you first found out you needed to wear a night guard, you probably resisted. You said you didn’t need one, couldn’t sleep with it, or that it would be too bulky. 

Then, you caved, gave it a try … and fell in love with how this handy little oral appliance made you feel!

Whether your night guard was prescribed for a TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder), bruxism, or something else causing jaw pain, you know you don’t want to sleep without it anymore (at least until your problem is resolved). 

But what about the grinding and clenching you do during the day? Can you wear your night guard then, too?

Daytime clenching, also known as awake bruxism, can exacerbate the symptoms your night guard tries to reduce. Here, we’ll “bite” into the good and bad parts of wearing a night guard when you’re not sleeping to give you everything you need to make an informed choice.

So, Can You Wear a Night Guard During the Day?

The short answer is “yes,” but then it isn’t called a night guard. Daytime mouth guards are designed to be worn during the day when you need them to be more comfortable and less noticeable on your teeth. They’re usually thinner than the standard night guard.

On the other hand, night guards are, by definition, dental devices that slide over your upper and lower teeth to prevent jaw clenching and teeth grinding while you sleep. Since you don’t need to talk or use your mouth for more than breathing, night guards aren’t designed to worry about those functions.

Night Guard vs. Daytime Guard

If you need to wear a night guard, it’s because something in your body is causing you to grind your teeth and clench your jaw unconsciously. 

A night guard, made from different materials depending on the type of guard, slides over your upper or lower teeth. There, it becomes a barrier between the arches and absorbs the grinding force. This protects your teeth from the grinding contact and gives your jaw muscles a break from clenching.

Daytime guards work similarly, but there’s a major distinction between the two: when you’re sleeping, you don’t need to be concerned with how visible your night guard is or if you can speak clearly when wearing it.

To fix this problem, manufacturers of daytime guards use thin materials, often hard acrylic, to protect without visible distraction and discomfort. Daytime guards are made to permit clear speech. You only need to remove them when you’re eating. But while you wear yours, it reminds you to stop clenching, even when you’re stressed or anxious.

Prime Example: Our On-the-Go Daytime Mouth Guard

When you want to know the difference between a night guard and a daytime mouth guard, our JS Dental Lab version shows you the details.

Its minimal design is comfortable, barely-there visible, and ideal for home, office, or school use. The thin, transparent material, imported from Germany but made in the USA at our professional lab, is durable enough to handle light grinding, day and night. 

The key to finding the perfect day or night guard is ensuring it’s customized exactly to your teeth’s dimensions. Every nook, cranny, crack, and space needs to be accounted for; otherwise, the guard can increase discomfort and, in severe cases, lead to shifting and crooked teeth.

Order Your Daytime "On the Go" Protection!

The JS Dental Lab Solution

Our JS Dental Lab process prevents this problem. After you order your guard, you receive an impression kit in the mail. 

We walk you through creating an impression of your upper or lower teeth using special putty. When we get it back from you, we take that impression and turn it into a model of your teeth. An automatic thermoforming machine designs, trims, and shapes the material to match your impression, ensuring a flawless, precise finish.

Here’s How it Works

Pros and Cons of Daytime Mouth Guards

Think about what your goal is for your guard. Do you want it to remind you to stop clenching your jaw? Do you need something to prevent damage to your teeth when you’re anxious and grinding on them like sandpaper?

Pros

There are numerous benefits of using a daytime mouth guard:

Stress Reduction

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is intricately related to stress. Studies show that stress can increase your chances of grinding your teeth by a whopping 97%! 

But … mouth guards don’t stop the stress. They only mitigate the damage to your teeth and jaws when you are stressed. 

That said, night and daytime guards are great ways to prevent physical damage from increasing your stress while you work on other ways to reduce anxiety.

Less Pain and Discomfort

There’s a good reason why so many medical and dental providers recommend mouth guards. Regular use of these oral appliances may lower bruxism and TMJ symptoms, such as:

• Pain
• Jaw clicking and popping
• Trouble moving the mouth
• Facial muscle discomfort

There’s a caveat here, though. If you have a medical condition like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or a TMD, talk to your healthcare professional before you invest in a mouth guard. They may suggest an oral splint or occlusal guard designed for those specific needs.

Protection From Damage to Your Teeth

Got crowns?

If you’ve dealt with getting dental restorations like fillings, veneers, dental implants, and crowns, you know you don’t want anything bad to happen to them. You’d need to go through that pain and expenses again! 

Luckily, using a mouth guard adds a layer of protection against grinding damage to these teeth enhancements.

Mouth guards can also help you keep your newly straightened teeth after braces. When you’re not wearing your retainer, a customized night or daytime guard can prevent the teeth from shifting back into their original spots.

Cons of Daytime Mouth Guard Use

You can probably predict most of the downsides of a daytime mouth guard, but we’ll lay them out here for clarity.

First, using your guard during the day is going to take some getting used to. 

Mouth guards are designed to let you speak freely, but you may still have a slight impediment. This side effect can increase your self-consciousness in professional and social interactions.

Not to mention the organizational side of daytime oral appliances. You’ll need to remove your mouth guard to eat and drink, which means staying aware of where you put it and not forgetting to replace it when you’re done. (Anyone who has ever had a retainer knows the fear of throwing the appliance in the public trash can!)

Speaking of the garbage bin … since you’re taking the mouth guard in and out of your mouth, extra precautions against oral health damage from bacteria and germs are essential. You might want to carry a designed toothbrush/toothpaste/mouth guard cleaning spray with you when you leave the house.

Tips For Choosing and Wearing a Mouth Guard While Awake

The right mouth guard matters. High-quality, custom-fit, and comfort are three elements you do not want to sacrifice here. 

Still, even the best mouth guards can be a challenge when you’re awake and you notice them all day. These tips can help you adjust to your new daytime guard:

• Give it time. No matter how amazing your mouth guard is designed, there will be an adjustment period. Take it slow and wear it for short periods, progressively boosting how long it stays in your mouth each time.
• Dip your toes into conversation. Don’t jump right into social situations until you’ve practiced speaking.
• Plan to be organized (and germ-free). Have a method for storing the mouth guard when you’re eating.
• Keep the mouth guard clean. As a general rule, there are types of cleaning procedures that work for oral appliances daily, weekly, and monthly. Just like anything you put in your mouth, you want to know your mouth guard is clean and bacteria-free.
• Drink water. Staying hydrated not only helps with oral hygiene, but it can also reduce discomfort from wearing the appliance.

How long it takes you to adjust to your mouth guard is a personal thing. Most people can get used to wearing it within a week or two, but if your mouth is extra sensitive, it may take longer. 

However, if you notice increased discomfort or soft tissue damage as you’re wearing your guard, there could be a problem with the fit. Contact the manufacturer or lab to discuss the issues you’ve noticed and potential solutions.

How to Care for Your Daytime Mouth Guard

Ready to invest in your oral health and get rid of those pesky symptoms of bruxism and TMJ? 

Well-designed daytime guards can last for years if made from high-quality materials and properly cared for.

Follow these tips to ensure proper care and a long lifespan for your mouth guard:

• Rinse it regularly before and after use.
• Clean with a soft-bristle toothbrush and gentle soap to remove germs and buildup. If the cleanser contains chemicals, they can degrade the material, making it less effective and prone to cracking and breaking.
• Store in a dry, clean container and keep at room temperature.
• Never expose it to heat, direct sunlight, or freezing temperatures. Don’t clean with hot water; warm or lukewarm water works just fine.
• Inspect for wear and tear regularly.

Finish your dental care regimen with visits to your favorite dental office. No matter how great your custom night guard or daytime guard is designed, nothing replaces the preventative care a dental professional can give you, catching minor problems before they become big (read: expensive and painful) dental work!

Conclusion

Daytime teeth grinding is a hassle at best, and a dangerous habit at worst. 

This behavior is unconscious — until you feel the pain of a cracked tooth or sore jaws. A mouth guard you can wear while you’re awake, combined with regular dental check-ups, could be the solution you need to fix this problem!

Regardless of the type of night guard or daytime guard you need, make JS Dental Lab your preferred professional to help you reach your grinding goals. 

Shop Our Night Guards Today!