Grinding Through The Recession

There are recession-proof industries. And then there are professions that actually flourish in the recession.

Marketplace reports that dentists and periodontists are reporting increasing numbers of fractures and eroded enamel from bad and often unconscious behaviors like clenching and grinding at night.

This is a good thing for those in the tooth business: Some dentists report a 50 percent increase in stress-related tooth problems. And this equals big bucks. To help a patient whose problem is tooth-grinding, the dentist might recommend a custom-fitted mouth guard, which can cost $800. But even the dentist will admit that those who are grinding due to money woes won’t be able to afford the guard anyway.

Luckily, just like any other in-demand product, lower-cost options have started springing up – the so-called mom and pops of dentistry, if you will. For instance, Glen Bancroft, a Massachusetts entrepreneur, is selling basic mouth guards for ten bucks a piece. He says he’s seen 10 million people recently searching Google with terms like “bite guard” or “teeth grinding.”

Sure, Bancroft’s $10 version probably won’t work as well as the custom one your dentist will make you, but at least it won’t exacerbate the underlying source of your tooth-grinding: your bank account.

Photo courtesy Tarale via Flickr.