5 Simple Ways to Help Children Avoid Cavities
Setting up your child’s dental hygiene routine does not need to be too complicated, and you can adopt five simple yet effective ways to help them avoid cavities.
A mouth guard, or mouth protector, is a dental device made from synthetic materials designed to protect your teeth from damage. It separates the upper and lower rows of teeth to prevent them from grinding or clenching against each other, which may reduce the risk of long-term complications. As a cushioned barrier, they also protect your gums and potentially relieve pressure on the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), reducing the severity of symptoms.
While mouth guards cannot treat the root cause of teeth grinding, they may help people to break the habit and reduce its long-term damage to their dental health.
The cost of an OTC or boil-and-bite mouth guard may range from SGD 100 to SGD 200, depending on the brand and its quality. Meanwhile, custom-fitted mouth guards may range from SGD 350 to 1000, with cost factors varying based on your dental profile, the type of mouth guard you need, and other criteria your dentist will notify you of in advance.
Also known as bruxism, teeth grinding is an involuntary condition in which you or your child may unconsciously grind or clench their teeth. This habit can cause gradual damage to the teeth and lead to other dental health complications. Other conditions, such as snoring, jaw pain, and damaged teeth or gums, are also associated with frequent grinding.
Teeth grinding commonly arises as a response to stress, and many people do not realise they are doing this until someone points it out. There have been cases where teeth grinding can be clearly heard by anyone close by. While there are many ways to treat teeth grinding, mouth guards are a nonsurgical method prescribed for long-term use.
Teeth grinding is primarily classified into two types: awake bruxism and sleep bruxism.
Teeth grinding that occurs during the day may be triggered by stress, anger, or anxiety. It may also arise as a coping mechanism when you are experiencing these feelings or when you are deep in concentration. As a result, you may unknowingly clench your jaw or grind your teeth. Awake bruxism is usually easier to notice, and in some cases, additional treatment is not needed if you can consciously prevent it from happening. There are also measures such as Botulinum Toxin injections to the jaw muscles to lighten the bite forces. Please discuss this with your dentist!
Sleep bruxism occurs while you are asleep and may have long-term consequences, as you may not realise it is happening. Your partner, parent, or friend might notice if the teeth grinding is loud enough. If you or your child frequently experiences jaw pain, chipped teeth, or heightened tooth sensitivity, consider consulting a dentist to determine if you may have sleep bruxism.
Teeth grinding is common in children and often more noticeable at night, sometimes loud enough for a parent to hear from outside the bedroom. A systematic review published in the Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics found that reported rates of childhood sleep bruxism vary widely across studies, ranging from around 6% to nearly 50% of children, with most children growing out of it by around age 6 as their baby teeth give way to adult teeth.
In most cases, childhood teeth grinding does not need treatment and resolves on its own. However, if your child continues grinding past this age, wakes up with jaw soreness, or shows visible wear on their teeth, it is worth having a dentist take a look. There may be airway issues that warrant a diagnosis.
Yes, it is. Over time, teeth grinding can wear down the teeth and cause them to become uneven. It can also lead to other symptoms, including soreness around the jaw, neck, or face, as well as tightened jaw muscles. You may also experience headaches sporadically due to damaged or impacted teeth.
Other possible effects may include:
Most people do not realise they are grinding or clenching their teeth until they are told. These are habitual actions that may occur unconsciously, especially when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or angry. If you notice yourself grinding or clenching your teeth, contact a dentist for their advice and support.
The side effects of mouth guards are generally linked to your overall comfort during use. OTC sets may cause discomfort as they do not accurately match your dental profile. Potential risks may include a drifting bite (when teeth gradually shift out of their normal position) and occasional jaw pain.
Custom-made ones carry fewer risks since they are designed to match your dental profile. However, you may experience some discomfort at first as you adjust to their use, which will gradually subside over time. You may also experience other minor side effects, including:
If you experience sore gums, toothaches, or other issues while using your custom-made mouth guards, contact your dentist immediately.
While a mouth guard is meant to protect your teeth and gums from damage due to teeth grinding (and other concerns), a retainer is primarily used to maintain your teeth’s position after orthodontic treatment, such as braces. The retainer ensures that the surrounding gums and bones can adapt to the new position and prevent further complications. Both need to be worn regularly, but they serve very different purposes. In some cases, when both retainers and mouthguards are needed, retainers are custom made to be thicker and can also function as a mouthguard under a dentist’s supervision.
Regularly maintaining your mouth guard with proper care and cleaning can extend its lifespan and provide adequate protection for your teeth and gums. To keep your mouth guard clean and well-maintained:
It is recommended to have routine dental check-ups every six months to detect and treat potential oral issues promptly.
If you are looking for a family dentist in Singapore for yourself or your child, contact Lè by An Dental to book an appointment.
Yes. A mouth guard acts as a barrier between the upper and lower teeth, so it can’t fully stop the grinding itself, but it prevents the direct tooth-on-tooth contact that causes wear, chips, and fractures over time. This is why dentists commonly recommend one for ongoing bruxism, since it protects the teeth while the underlying cause is managed separately. In growing children, mouthguards may need to be changed frequently as the jaw grows, the dentist will advise appropriately
A night guard is meant to be worn for the full duration of sleep, typically 7 to 8 hours, and consistently every night if your dentist has diagnosed you with bruxism. Skipping nights leaves your teeth unprotected on exactly the nights grinding might happen, and it’s not designed for extended daytime wear since prolonged use can trap bacteria and affect saliva flow.
The grinding habit itself can often be reduced or managed, especially when it’s linked to stress, but damage already done to the teeth, like worn enamel or chipped edges, cannot be reversed. This is why catching and managing bruxism early matters more than trying to undo existing wear.
There isn’t a direct substitute that offers the same physical protection, but addressing the underlying triggers, like stress management, better sleep habits, or cutting back on caffeine and alcohol before bed, can reduce how often grinding happens. For active protection of the teeth, a mouth guard remains the standard recommendation.
It’s less likely, but not impossible, especially with an ill-fitting OTC or boil-and-bite guard that doesn’t distribute pressure evenly. A poorly fitted guard can shift out of place during sleep or fail to fully cover the biting surface, which is part of why custom-fitted guards are recommended for anyone grinding regularly.
Periodontist - Special interest in digital dental implants and root recession coverage
Dr. Hu Cidong graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and subsequently completed his Master's in Dental Surgery (Periodontology) at NUS.
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Dr Kayla Toh graduated with the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (B.D.S.) from the National University of Singapore. She was awarded the IFDEA Medal for being the best student in Paediatric Dentistry. She is also the recipient of the 1st runner up-prize for the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme.
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Dr Carla Andreina graduated from the University of Glasgow (UK) with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree and was awarded the Head of College Scholars’ List for her achievements. She went on to pursue her passion in teeth straightening and is undergoing her Masters degree in Orthodontics in the National University of Singapore (NUS), while also honing her skills in clear aligner techniques through mini residency structured programmes.
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