Have you ever woken up and had a headache and jaw pain, during a stressful time of you life? It is something that is not fun to wake up to and a way you want to start your day. You may be grinding your teeth at night. This condition is called bruxism. Researchers at the University of Florida have a designed a smart mouthguard that can detect if you are grinding your teeth at night.
You may be wondering what are the effects of grinding your teeth?
By grinding your teeth, can have many, major, effects, which includes damaged teeth, headaches, insomnia, and a sore jaw. Yet, there are not many ways to diagnose bruxism. As of right now, only monitoring a person while he sleeps is the most common way to diagnose a person with bruxism. This method is very conformable for the person. It requires being hooked up to many wires, sensors, and machines. This alone could stress someone out to want to grind their teeth. Therefore, the researchers at the University of Florida thought that a smart mouthguard would make it easier for dentists to diagnosis their patients.
The smart mouth guard
The mouth guard is equipped with sensors, which detect how much force is being applied by the teeth on the mouth guard. Not only does it determine the force, it also determines which teeth are doing the grinding, and then this information is sent to a dentist via a mobile device (HOW COOL IS THAT?) This smart mouthguard is another example of what technology is capable of. Technology like this is so advanced and can change the way of dentistry. The mouthguard can also help treat bruxism in addition to diagnosing it, instead of therapy treatment, which just helps reduce stress and change behaviors. 
The future
These mouth guards could eventually be used in athletics, especially contact sports, such as football or wrestling. The mouth guards can have accelerometers, which could detect the strength of forces affecting the head. This could be helpful in concussion detection. Other sensors could help determine if the athlete is dehydrated or is approaching a dangerously high body temperature.
The future of sensor mouth guards is endless and their benefits can help not only people in pain, but possibly save people’s lives.
The full article can be found on https://www.popsci.com/smart-mouth-guard-tells-your-dentist-if-youre-grinding-your-teeth. Definitely worth reading the full article to read all the results and more on what the researchers have to say about their new smart mouth guard!
Dr. Potts is a gentle, caring dentist who uses the most advanced materials and procedures available. He practices comfortable, health-centered dentistry, with a strong emphasis on getting to know each patient. In addition to his technical proficiency, Dr. Potts is a careful listener. He makes sure to understand what you want and will explain beforehand what treatment is best for your individual needs, along with all options available to you. Check out our Twitter, Facebook page, and website.
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