Question from Janelle
Hi Debra,
My husband and I have recently become more concerned about all the plastic in our environment.
We are particularly concerned about the night guard that his dentist has him wear because he grinds his teeth at night. I’m wondering about the safety of the night guard.
I tried calling the office that they made it in, but they haven’t done any tests for leaching, he just assured me it was safe.
I did some research and it’s made from: Powder Component: Modified Ethyl Methacrylate Polymer Liquid Component: Modified Ethyl Methacrylate Monomer. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find information on if these substances are safe when mixed into plastic.
The company that makes the mouth guards is Astron and the material is called clearsplint.
Any help you can give me with this is much appreciated.
Thank you.
Debra’s Answer
It sounds to me like you mix the powder and liquid together to make the ClearSplint material. It isn’t added to plastic, it is the plastic.
The MSDS lists both of these materials as hazardous as well as ClearSplint itself.
What I don’t know is if they become less toxic when combined, or more toxic. Not enough data is available for this.
Regardless, it seems that ALL plastics leach to one degree or another. I wouldn’t let my child use this without having more evidence of safety than someone on the phone saying it’s safe.
I just came back from my Biological Dentist, in Tucson Arizona. I travelled to him from Northern California! Looking for a True Biological, Informed, Experienced and Compassionate dentist in my area turned up very little. I had 8 of my Amalgam fillings removed which have been in my mouth for over 40 years. It was definitely a major removal and was done with extreme care, precision and compassion . I was in the chair for 5 hours! And I am healing well. Previous to this removal I had a Biological Compatibility test done. There seem to be only two labs in the U.S. The cost for the lab test on my blood was 375.00. During the Amalgam removal the dentists office spoke to the lab several times and did indeed utilize a material that had been tested via the lab to be compatible with my blood chemistry. In that same Biocompatibility Test, there is a section for “temporary” compatibility which would refer to bite guards. I will be having a bite guard created once all of my fillings are replaced. The bite guard Must be Biocompatible and not merely contribute more stress to the system by leaching toxic materials into the body . All dentists are Not the same…and going to one who is concerned, educated, and informed is crucial…along with the blood work. The book to read : It’s All In Your Head by Hal Huggins is incredibly informative!
Thanks for letting us know you can get a mouthguard that is tested for biocompatibility.
Do you know if the guard leaches styrene? I’ve been experiencing health issues recently and found out that my toxin levels of styrene are high. The issues seemed to start around the time I starting wearing this guard. I’ve asked the company but of course they said it was BPA free but that doesn’t mean it’s safe.
It depends on the type of plastic used to make it.
I have used the make it yourself mouth guards and was concerned about plasticizers, so my biologic dentist ordered a fitted one made of harder materials. He tried to find out exactly what was used in making them without much success. The new (almost $500 guard) is uncomfortable, positions my jaw differently than the softer ones I’ve molded myself, and gives me TMJ! So I’m back to the over the counter guard. I had the Clifford Test several years ago, but was told that you have to retest regularly, as the reactions can change. I’m interested in any new non-toxic possibilities!
I have a soft mouth guard that is years old. I wonder if there is a difference between the soft and hard plastics. My dentist is a holistic biological dentist but I had the guard made before I came to his practice. “They” don’t recommend using the “do it yourself” kits to make your own guard which costs a fraction of the custom made ones. Does anyone know an alternative for those who grind their teeth?
A soft guard would release more plasticizers than a hard guard. Why don’t you ask your biological dentist for suggestions?
Another option is to seek the help of someone (probably a chiropractor) who practices neurocranial treatments to correct the position of the bones in the skull and the jaw (TMJ) so that the teeth grinding problem is cured, rather than managed.
Do you know of any of these chiropractors in MN? Are you referring to cranial sacral massage therapy? Thanks. I think this is a great suggestion I’d like to pursue
Hi Sherry, I apologize, I just saw this comment from months ago. No, I’m referring to the work a chiropractor who is trained in cranial adjusting would do. Unfortunately chiropractors aren’t taught these techniques in school and have to learn it at the postgraduate level, and few of them actually do learn this. This is different from cranial sacral work that you are referring to. I can’t say whether that type of work might also help, as I haven’t tried it personally and don’t know whether it claims to help with that or not. You could certainly ask the practitioner. In the cranial work I’m referring to, the practitioner holds the head in certain ways to facilitate the movement of the cranial bones so that they are properly aligned (they can get jammed/stuck in certain ways and this creates problems). It can make a huge difference in one’s sense of wellbeing. The idea of moving the bones of one’s skull might sound intimidating; but it really is gentle and nothing to be worried about. 🙂 Regarding finding a practitioner of these techniques in your area, you might try contacting Dr. Marmorstein, as he has been training other doctors in these techniques as he develops them, and perhaps there is one in your area. It seems to me that most of the mouth guard materials could have some type of issue, because they are made of plastics, meant to be malleable (soft plastics, likely to leach)…so if one could avoid the need for the mouth guard altogether, this would be ideal.
I meant to include the link for Dr. Marmorstein.
https://head2foot.net/
I found a dentist who practices Biological Dentistry in my area. I have Chemical Sensitivities and needed to ensure that any materials they used in my mouth would not cause adverse affects. I needed a mouth guard and I asked about the materials being used. They offered to do a Clifford Reactivity Materials Test to determine which materials were most compatible with my body. It was a very extensive report. If you find a Biological Dentist, ask about materials testing. Here’s the link to Clifford Consulting & Research for reference. http://www.ccrlab.com
I also had one of these done a couple years ago They are costly but test against 40,000 different dental materials. I think it was around $400 when I did it. Great suggestion. I am here because I have a biological dentist but the VA has offered to make me a night guard for free and I feel like I’m grinding even more. I was wondering about the materials in the guard I got and was told it is acrylic. So thank you for reminding me to check my Clifford test. I didn’t even think about it.
You might think about talking to a trained and experienced Biological Dentist who knows about the toxic nature of plastics and certain materials. There are tests you can take that can determine for example the least reactive materials you can use for fillings (note it’s always termed “least reactive”. But an experienced dentist in this field could make the mouth guard out of the safest material. Mine made mine for me as he owns his own lab.
I would sure appreciate knowing the name of your biological dentist as I need to have a mouth guard made for me, as well. Thank you!
You can get the name of a biological dentist in your area at the International Academy of Biological Dentistry & Medicine
Or just type “biological dentist” in Google and your local dentist will come up in the results.