You wear your night guard to protect your teeth from the wear and tear associated with bruxism or teeth grinding. This protection helps reduce the risk that your nighttime grinding will damage your enamel and lead to cavities and tooth decay. Besides, can your night plaque contribute to tooth decay? The answer is not as simple as yes or no. The truth is that if you don’t properly care for your night guard, it can contribute to the development of cavities. Let’s take a look at how bruises develop and what role your night guard can play.

What Causes Carvities?

Cavities on your teeth occur when bacteria damage the hard surface of a tooth. Once the bacteria has entered the tooth, it continues to eat and spread to the deeper layer of the tooth, the dentin. But how does it all start? To understand this, you must know that your mouth is always full of bacteria. Bacteria in your mouth aid digestion, but when it gets out of control, it starts eating teeth.

The onset of cavity formation begins with plaque formation. This sticky film forms when bacteria feed on sugar and carbohydrates that remain on the surface of your teeth after eating and drinking. Bacteria produce acid when they feed. This combination of bacteria, acid, food particles, and your saliva creates plaque. When this sticky film covers your teeth, the acid in the plaque starts to eat the tooth enamel, creating tiny openings where bacteria enter and cavities. If left untreated, acid and bacteria can travel deep into the tooth and reach the dentin. This is when you may notice that a bruise is causing pain.

Common Causes of Cavities

Cavity formation can occur for a number of different reasons, including the following.

Poor oral hygiene

If you don’t brush and floss regularly to remove bacteria, acids and food particles, these can build up on your teeth and increase the risk of cavities.

Dry mouth

It is a powerful tool in preventing caries, as what you spit helps remove plaque from the surface of your teeth. Unfortunately, medical conditions like Sjögren’s disease or certain medications can reduce saliva production, leaving your mouth dry. This allows plaque to form on the teeth faster.

What You Eat and Drink

Unfortunately, eating and drinking play a role in cavities, but you can’t just stop eating and drinking. However, what you eat and what you do after eating can play a role. Sticky foods high in sugar, such as dried fruit or caramel, stick to the teeth, providing a food source for bacteria. You should always brush your teeth after eating high-sugar foods to reduce the risk of cavities.

Medical conditions

Certain medical conditions that cause reflux of stomach acid into the mouth can increase the risk of dental caries. Additionally, some head and neck cancer treatments that use radiation can alter the structure of your saliva, making teeth more prone to damage and cavities.

How Can Your Night Guard Contribute to Bruises?

Now that you have a better understanding of cavities and how they form, what about your night guard? Can your night plaque really cause cavities? The truth is, your night guard itself doesn’t contain anything that will directly cause bruises. However, how you maintain and wear your night guard can contribute to the development of bruises.

You now know that your mouth is full of bacteria that feed on food particles and plaque on your teeth.

If the bacteria stay in contact for a long time, your risk of developing cavities increases. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce your risk.

Proper Oral and Night Plaque Care Reduces Caries Risk

Since you wear night plaque, you are already doing something to protect your tooth enamel. Your night guard stops the destruction of your enamel from grinding your teeth while you sleep. So, you don’t want to let that night plaque contribute to possible bruises in other ways. The good news is that you can prevent it by taking proper oral care and taking care of your night plaque. With these steps, you can reduce the risk of bacteria forming on your teeth and night guard.

Follow These Steps To Reduce The Risk Of Caries From Your Night Plaque

Brush and Floss

Reducing the risk of cavities starts with good oral care. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at the end of the day to remove stuck-on food particles. When it comes to wearing night guards, you should always brush and floss before putting on night guards, as this reduces bacteria that can become trapped on the surface of your teeth.

Always rinse your mouth guard

Always rinse the mouth guard before placing it in your mouth to remove any possible bacteria or debris.

When removing plaque in the morning

After wearing your plaque overnight, remove the protector and clean it thoroughly with cold soapy water or with your toothbrush and non-abrasive paste. Let your protector dry before putting it in its box. After removing the guard, brush your teeth thoroughly to remove overnight bacterial buildup.

Replace broken or damaged night plate immediately

If you notice signs of cracks or tears in your night plate, replace it immediately. Bacteria can hide in these cracks or tears, making them difficult to remove. Once in your mouth, bacteria thrive and nourish your teeth.