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A member asked:
I have a splint for my tmj but fear cancer from grinding and swallowing that plastic at night?
7 doctors weighed in across 5 answers
No fear: Plastics are incredibly inert biologically and all the talk about their "causing cancer" is from scaremongers. The artificial chemicals that really cause cancer are the ones that can mutate dna -- a plastic polymer won't even gain entry to a cell. Tmj can be very troublesome and finding an effective treatment difficult -- i wish you luck and admire your courage in writing.
Answered 7/10/2012
5.7k views
No cancer: I am not aware of any information that links either grinding or ingesting anything from a tooth splint causing cancer. Try to stop grinding and this won't be an issue.
Answered 12/9/2013
5.7k views
Rare???: Cancer from grinding would be very rare, as far as i know. If the splint is made correctly, it is also unusual for one to break it and swallow the pieces. Anything is possible and that is a good reason not to buy over-the-counter or online mouthpieces. If you have further questions, i would seek out several opinions.
Answered 12/10/2013
4.9k views
Safe: Same type of plastic used for dentures and partial dentures. Proven safety for decades.
Answered 3/22/2020
3.1k views
Safe and effective: treatment to protect your teeth. There is no scientific proof that TMJ splint may cause cancer.
Answered 8/4/2015
2.4k views
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