Dental mouth guards may be worn to prevent patients from grinding or clenching their teeth. They are also used to help with sleep apnea symptoms, and to protect teeth from injury during sports. At our practice, we work with patients who have concerns about protecting their teeth, and part of our evaluation process is to determine if patients may benefit from a mouth guard.
As with any device, it is important to understand how to keep your mouth guard clean after each use. Taking care of your mouth guard is important to ensure the guard continues to protect your teeth properly. We recommend if patients use a mouth guard to add the cleaning process to your daily oral hygiene routine at home.
How to Care For Your Mout hguard At Home Daily
- Rinse your mouth guard immediately after each use with warm water. This helps to loosen up any bacteria or plaque that may have built up while wearing the device.
- Gently brush your mouth guard using a toothbrush. A separate toothbrush can be used for this process if you prefer to not use the brush used for your teeth.
- Do not use toothpaste to brush your mouth guard as this can be too abrasive, and could damage the mouth guard.
- Set the clean mouth guard on a clean surface and allow it to dry completely. If you do not let your mouth guard dry completely bacteria growth may occur. Typically, the drying process takes between 15-30 minutes.
- Once the mouth guard is dry store the guard in a case to protect it from any damage. It may be best to store the mouth guard outside of the bathroom to ensure the humidity or steam does not cause the mouth guard to warp over time.
When Should I Deep Clean My Mouth guard?
We recommend patients should deep clean their mouth guard at least once a week. Patients can use a denture cleaner from your local pharmacy, mouthwash mixed with water, or mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide together. Place the mouth guard in a bowl, and let it soak in the mixture of your choice for at least 30 minutes.
Once the mouth guard has soaked you can remove it, and allow it to dry completely before placing it back in the case. Cleaning the mouth guard case is also important. Cases can be hand washed every couple of days to remove any bacteria that has collected over time. We recommend mouth guard cases be replaced every 6-12 months.
When you visit our office always bring your mouth guard and case. This gives our doctor the ability to inspect your mouth guard, andensure the guard still fits properly. Our team can also help you clean the guard if necessary during your appointment. Taking care of your mouth guard is easy if you in corporate the cleaning process into your oral hygiene routine at home.
Looking to Find a Dentist in X to 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!