I did something really, really stupid. I tried to boil my night guard (to clean it) and now it won't fit correctly in my mouth. I know I need to get a new one, but I was hoping to hold off for a few months until I go for my 6-month cleaning in May. I was wondering if the night guards that can be bought in a store (I think I've seen them in CVS or RiteAide) are any good as a temporary fix. Even if I go next week to get a new guard, I'm sure it takes a few weeks to get made. :( My mouth thanks you for your time.
Thank you everyone for your responses! I will head to Bed, Bath & Beyond tomorrow and call my dentist on Monday. You would think I haven't had the night guard very long, but I've had it for probably 4 years. I've always brushed it each morning, but I always wondered if I should be doing more...hence the boiling. Ugh! I like the idea of Efferdent. I will definitely be doing that in the future.
Mom:
If you are in Dulles - the Bed Bath and Beyond that is right next to the Dulles Town Center (across the street from it - by Best Buy and World Traders) has the Doctor's Night Guard.
I googled CVS and RiteAid and didn't see them in the search for Mouth Guard.
I think Bed Bath & Beyond closes at 10PM.
It will work but you will notice the difference. You will have to get used to it until you get a new one from the dentist. Even though it is thin it isn't comparable to the custom one. But it should be good until you get in.
Go to Bed Bath and Beyond. Take your $5/20% coupon with you and get "The Doctor's" Night Guard. I have used it and it will get you through until your next visit.
You will boil it to fit it to your mouth, but I have used it with success for a few months now. I'm like you- I need to get through until June!
Hope this helps! Good luck!
ETA: You can also find this brand at Target, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens.
They can be a temporary fix. Do not get the sport guards... They are different.
Get a new good one from your dentist ASAP. Mine is well worth the $450 I spent for it.
As for cleaning, I use a warm glass of water with Efferdent denture cleaner. Works great! Also brush it regularly and soak in Listerine.
Good luck.
Re heat it (back in boiling water), then when it's soft (cool it slightly) - it should be soft but not so hot it's painful to touch - then put it back in your mouth so it conforms to your mouth again.
You do the same thing with a generic sport or night guard when they are new so they fit.
To clean it you can brush it with a paste of baking soda and peroxide.
The store guards should be just fine. I haven't tried the newer ones they have out now, just the sports ones. The newer ones look thinner and probably better than the sports mouth guard. The sports mouth guard feels so big in my mouth, it's difficult to deal with for long. For the price, they're certainly worth trying.
I did the exact same thing. I was able to make an appt with my dentist's hygenist within a couple of days and she carved out the tight spots with a mini-sander so I could get it back into my mouth.
The sports ones are WAY too thick to sleep in..
Yes, the thinner ones from the pharmacy will get you through, but they may be able to adjust the one you boiled.. Just call and ask them.
when my old dentist was thinking about giving me a night guard he told me to get one of the football/wrestling ones from the store to try out to see if i could handle it or not
I grind my teeth in my sleep to the point that I have destroyed fillings in my teeth and some mornings I would wake up with a stiff neck and shoulder. I use a mouth guard I picked up at my martial arts school. In my case the extra thick mouth guard helps because it adds cushioning and I don't wake up in pain.
If you get a temporary one from a store try to either get the ones that just have a block you bite with your molars or put the full mouth one on the bottom teeth, it will fit better and be more comfortable.
I like the thought of boiling it and remolding it, but better call the dentist first. I bet they can fix it.
A sports store like Academy will have them..
My dentist just recommended that I get one from a drug store to save money. Sounds like they are at least comparable. Good luck.
