Night Guards
Night guards (grinding guards) protect the teeth from the damage cause by constant grinding and clenching associated with bruxism. Unfortunately, although night guards are made to withstand the pressure of your teeth grinding, they will not last forever. How long a night guard lasts depends on a variety of factors, including the severity and extent of your grinding, the type of guard that you use, and the care you take of it between usage occasions. With proper care, most night guards will last for 2 years before you need a replacement.
As you may know, bacteria can adhere to removable oral devices, such as a night guard, and, if they remain on the device undisturbed, they can replicate rapidly to form mature biofilms on those devices because they remain in place for most of the day.