Here's the frustrating thing about teeth grinding: most people have no idea they're doing it. You fall asleep, grind your teeth for hours, and wake up with a dull headache and a jaw that aches, with no memory of any of it. Your partner, though, has a very vivid memory. Bruxism, the clinical term for teeth grinding and jaw clenching, affects around 10% of adults and up to 15% of...
Read MoreIf you have a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account, you already know the general idea: pre-tax dollars, qualifying medical expenses. What a lot of people don't realize is that custom night guards for bruxism fall squarely into that category. That's not a loophole. The IRS classifies dental night guards as a qualified medical expense when used to treat a medical condition like bruxism or TMJ. If you're paying...
Read MoreIf you've ever sat in the dentist's chair and been told you need a night guard, you already know what comes next. The quote. The pause. The mental calculation of whether this goes in the HSA or on the credit card and sort of lives there for a while. Night guards have a reputation for being expensive, and dentist-made ones genuinely are. But that's not the only option, and the...
Read MoreSo your dentist told you to get a night guard. Or maybe you figured it out yourself. The jaw soreness every morning. The worn enamel your hygienist keeps bringing up. The headaches that seem to peak right after you wake up. Either way, you know you need one. What you don't know is where to get it. The dentist wants $600. Your insurance laughs. And a quick search sends you...
Read More[Photo by mheim3011 on Canva.] Key Takeaways Mouth taping helps reduce oral breathing at night by encouraging nasal breathing during sleep. Breathing through the nose supports better oxygen flow and oral health. Mouth tape is not a replacement for medical treatments for sleep apnea or breathing disorders. People with nasal obstruction, chronic congestion, allergies, or breathing conditions should avoid mouth taping. GetCheeky mouth tape can be a low-cost sleep aid...
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