Question from Mira
I am pregnant and have been reading a lot about the danger of bisphenol A exposure to developing fetuses (e.g. recent San Fran attempt to ban this chemical from baby products). This chemical is found in polycarbonate plastic among other places. I am concerned because I grind my teeth and wear a polycarbonate mouth guard nightly. I worry that BPA may be leaching from my mouth guard and harming my unborn child. I have spoken with numerous dentists but none were that knowledgeable on the subject. I contacted dental labs but have not been able to find a “toxin-free” alternative material from which the guard can be made. I also have not been able to find any research about the risks of wearing mouth guards during pregnancy.
Unfortunately I need to wear my mouth guard or risk breaking my teeth. Do you have any insight or advice for me?I am pregnant and have been reading a lot about the danger of bisphenol A exposure to developing fetuses (e.g. recent San Fran attempt to ban this chemical from baby products). This chemical is found in polycarbonate plastic among other places. I am concerned because I grind my teeth and wear a polycarbonate mouth guard nightly. I worry that BPA may be leaching from my mouth guard and harming my unborn child. I have spoken with numerous dentists but none were that knowledgeable on the subject. I contacted dental labs but have not been able to find a “toxin-free” alternative material from which the guard can be made. I also have not been able to find any research about the risks of wearing mouth guards during pregnancy.
Unfortunately I need to wear my mouth guard or risk breaking my teeth. Do you have any insight or advice for me?
Debra’s Answer
It can be confusing to make decisions about exposures to toxic chemicals of all kinds because in a addition to how toxic something inherently might be, “the dose makes the poison,” meaning, how much you are exposed to and the frequency of exposure determines the toxicity in your body more than the inherent toxicity of the substance itself. Salt, for example, is essential to life, but can be deadly if too much is eaten at one sitting.
Bisphenol A is known to have negative health effects (read all about them at Our Stolen Future: Bisphenol A). According to Our Stolen Future, “Research over the past decade has established that BPA alters cellular function and disrupts developmental processes at exquisitely low levels, far beneath EPA’s current ‘reference dose’ for the compound, and at levels to which many people are exposed daily, in the US and other countries.”
Bisphenol A has been most highly publicized for it’s presence in clear and colored transparent polycarbonate plastic, because of the popularity of using this plastic for water bottles. Bisphenol A leaches from polycarbonate as the plastic ages. The rate of degradation depends on how the plastic is used. If exposed to acid or alkaline solutions, or heated, the rate of leaching increases. When you wash water bottles in a dishawasher and reuse them, for example, that process accelerates the leaching. Therefore, a new plastic water bottle would leach less bisphenol A into the water than one that has been reused many times.
It’s likely, though, that you are being exposed to bisphenol A from many other sources. It is also used to make the resin that lines metal food cans to prevent the metal from contact with food. Some estimates approximate that 80% of metal food cans are lined with bisphenol A resin, and it’s not on the label. Another reason to eat fresh food.
Bisphenol A is also used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and other plastics, including polysulfone, alkylphenolic, polyalylate, polyester-styrene, and some polyester resins. It is also used as a fungicide, antioxidant, and a flame retardant, in the making of rubber chemical, and to stabilize polyvinyl chloride.
I’ve had some serious problems with the bad taste from the night guard I’m still doing some reach will let everyone know of my findings…..
same for me – new night mouth guard tastes gross and makes my mouth, throat numb and burning. my mom said it will take time for it to settle but I just stopped using it. (Ontario Canada)
I have had no problems with my previous 8 year old acrylic night mouth guard/splint. However it needed replacement recently, which my dentist arranged. After 5 nights using the new one, I have had to stop using it. I experience this strong chemical taste/smell when I remove it each morning – but after 3 days of this, without fail I feel nauseas after 30 minutes of putting it in my mouth! The nausea dissipates shortly after I remove it. Don’t tell me there’s nothing toxic in these things!!! I wonder whether they’re no longer careful in sourcing the raw materials for this product (in Australia) as they were 8 years ago.
I took Debra’s advice and reported the problem of nausea caused by my new mouth splint to my dentist. The dentist established that her technician had decided to make my splint out of a polymer instead of the acrylic he normally used. Thanks for treating me as a lab-rat Sir – now I’m worried that by having that toxic splint stuck in my mouth for 12 hours each night has given me cancer!!! What do you suggest I do Debra?
I think you should find out the EXACT polymer used so you can know for sure if it’s toxic or not. And if you are having nausea when you use it, don’t use it.
I just got a new night guard, made out some plastic, but it smells like ether or airplane glue. Am I just being over sensitive.
No. Find out what it’s made of.
According to the EWG, BPA-free is even worse than BPA filled. I am just starting to research these products because I need a night guard. I have read you can get 100% silicon. Any feedback on that?
thanks
I am still researching silicon and don’t have a definitive answer yet. Apparently there are different types of silicon, so just “silicon” doesn’t mean much.
I personally use silicon-coating parchment paper and baking sheets and have experienced no odors or noticeable ill effects.
Regardless, it may be better than other available materials, even if not perfect.
Thank you Debra for your research. I just went to the site and contacted the company. I questioned them for additional information. I like the product, like that they have a 30 day money back guarantee and purchased one. Thank you!
Its been a few months since my dental guard and I have been hit with the same sales campaign many times only to find that what I was complaining about before is not BPA, its Acrylic. Those “BPA FREE” Night guards that Jake just tried to sell me dont fit. I know setting this thing in baking soda and waiting for weeks didn’t remove the acrylic, it needs exposure to the air, maybe a moderate amount of heat but that will wreck the guard. By the time the acrylic leaves (if it ever does) that thing will be brittle. An old man laughed at me and stated, “Welcome to old age! Dentures do the same….Its all downhill from here!”
I purchased a night guard and it makes my throat sore after I have it in for 10 minutes. My dentist blamed it on the acrylic and told me just to put it away in the sun and all of the acrylic in the guard will leave the plastic. He was told some story by the company that makes this. I tried that for a month and it does the same thing, in ten minutes it makes my throat incredibly sore. Thats all I taste right now, and in my research tonight I find this could be BPA that doesn’t leave the plastic? My dentist was told a story by whatever company he contracts with.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
Could be BPA, but whatever it is, don’t use it if it gives you symptoms.
I found a night guard that is bpa free: http://www.dentek.com/product/146/custom-comfort-dental-guard/