Dental mouthguards may be worn to prevent patients from grinding or clenching their teeth. They arealso used to help with sleep apnea symptoms, and to protect teeth from injury during sports. At ourpractice, we work with patients who have concerns about protecting their teeth, and part of ourevaluation process is to determine if patients may benefit from a mouthguard.
As with any device, it is important to understand how to keep your mouthguard clean aftereach use.Taking care of your mouthguard is important to ensure the guard continues to protect your teethproperly. We recommend if patients use a mouthguard to add the cleaning process to your daily oralhygiene routine at home.
How to Care For Your Mouthguard At Home Daily
- Rinse your mouthguard immediately after each use with warm water. This helps to loosen upany bacteria or plaque that may have built up while wearing the device.
- Gently brush your mouthguard using a toothbrush. A separate toothbrush can be used for thisprocess if you prefer to not use the brush used for your teeth.
- Do not use toothpaste to brush your mouthguard as this can be too abrasive,and could damagethe mouthguard.
- Set the clean mouthguard on a clean surface and allow it todry completely. If you do not letyour mouthguard dry completely bacteria growth may occur. Typically, the drying process takesbetween 15-30 minutes.
- Once the mouthguard is dry store the guard in a case toprotectit from any damage. It may bebest to store the mouthguard outside of the bathroom toensurethe humidity or steam doesnot cause the mouthguard to warp over time.
When Should I Deep Clean My Mouthguard?
We recommend patients should deep clean their mouthguard at least once a week. Patients canuse adenture cleaner from your local pharmacy, mouthwash mixed with water, or mix vinegar and hydrogenperoxide together. Place the mouthguard in a bowl,and let it soak in the mixture of your choice for atleast 30 minutes.
Once the mouthguard has soaked you can remove it, and allow it to dry completely before placing itback in the case. Cleaning the mouthguard case is also important. Cases can be hand washed everycouple of days to remove any bacteria that has collected over time. We recommend mouthguard casesbe replaced every 6-12 months.
When you visit our office always bring your mouthguard and case. This gives our doctor the ability toinspect your mouthguard, andensure the guard still fits properly. Our team can also help you clean theguard if necessary during your appointment. Taking care of your mouthguard is easy if you incorporatethe cleaning process into your oral hygiene routine at home.
Looking to Find a Dentistin Xto See if You Can Benefit From a Mouthguard?
If you are looking for dental restoration options, and are interested in finding out if you can benefit froma mouthguard, call our office to schedule a consultation. Our evaluation process can help answer anyquestions you may have, and we can listen to your concerns to determineif a mouthguard is right foryou.
At our practice, we welcome all new patients, and provide a comfortable and relaxing experience whenyou visit our office. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation, and our friendly staff will behappy to assist you!
