Tongue/mouth posture for night guard?

[reminisce21]

I recently started grinding my teeth at night.
Could be from some new crowns/implants but it’s been a few months, more recently a lot of stress so I think that may be more likely as I hold a lot of tension my jaw.

I got a night guard fitted but I was confused where to put my tongue.

I thought you’re supposed to put your tongue normally on your palate but since the mouth guard has the extra material do we rest it further back so it doesn’t touch the guard?

If I rest it on the smooth groove isn’t it adding extra pressure to the back of the teeth? Trying to keep the lips closed also takes a little more effort this way.

When I rest my tongue on the bottom on the mouth guard it feels more comfortable but then my lips don’t fully touch.

I understand the guard is to help protect my teeth and I will try to work on the mental part/jaw tension but in the meantime I also wonder if the unnatural posture with having the night guard in is causing other jaw/tension or mouth breathing issues

Please help I’m obviously a noob at this

 

[Dr M]

What type of mouth guard do you have? Does it fit only over the tips of your teeth? Normally it does not interfere with your tongue at all. I would suggest trying not to focus too much on it. You might be creating an issue, where there is not one actually. The whole idea of a guard is to create a space between your lower and upper teeth, so that the muscles of mastication can relax.

 

[reminisce21]

What type of mouth guard do you have? Does it fit only over the tips of your teeth? Normally it does not interfere with your tongue at all. I would suggest trying not to focus too much on it. You might be creating an issue, where there is not one actually. The whole idea of a guard is to create a space between your lower and upper teeth, so that the muscles of mastication can relax.

Thank you, I was having trouble choosing between my tongue on the top of my mouth vs my lips closed completely.

It is the one that covers the tips of the teeth.

I did stop in to have the dentist check and he told me the tongue normally should be on the bottom of the mouth when I told him I heard it should be on the roof of the mouth.

Can I ask your thoughts on that? I had a feeling he was just brushing me off although I do agree I may be overthinking it a bit

 

[Dr M]

Your tongue does not normally rest on the roof of your mouth. It should rest on the floor of the mouth. If you think about it, a tongue that rests continuously on the roof of your mouth, especially while sleeping, is a potential airway obstruction.

 

[reminisce21]

Your tongue does not normally rest on the roof of your mouth. It should rest on the floor of the mouth. If you think about it, a tongue that rests continuously on the roof of your mouth, especially while sleeping, is a potential airway obstruction.

Okay thank you very much.

I guess the tip to test your tongue on the roof of your mouth is a day time thing, that makes sense.

I’m not able to comfortably close my mouth either way but maybe it’s expected as there is extra plastic compared to a retainer.

Would that be considered normal?

I appreciate all your insight btw this would be my last question

 

[Dr M]

That is normal. It is thicker than a retainer. Usually a bite plate needs to be at least 4mm thick, in order to seperate the upper and lower teeth, in order to help the muscles of mastication to relax.

 

[reminisce21]

That is normal. It is thicker than a retainer. Usually a bite plate needs to be at least 4mm thick, in order to seperate the upper and lower teeth, in order to help the muscles of mastication to relax.

Thank you for clarifying