The Best Way to Clean Your Mouthguard, Night Guard or Retainer
Does your child use a mouth guard to protect their teeth during high impact sporting events they participate in? Many parents have found that mouth guards are an effective way to protect their children. Our team at Richmond Dental custom-made mouthguards that perfectly fit each individual smile. however, they need to be cleaned just like your own teeth do. Continue reading on to learn the best way to clean your mouth guard, night guard, or retainer and keep them effectively protecting your smile.
Mouthguard Cleaning Tips
- Use an antibacterial solution. Rinsing your mouth guard with simply water doesn’t provide a thorough clean. An antibacterial agent will offer an effective clean that eliminates harmful bacteria and debris. A quick squirt of this method is better than nothing.
- Deep-clean your mouthguard at least once a month. We recommend a deep clean for your mouth guard at least once a month. Rough abrasive toothpastes and brushes can be damaging to mouth guards. Dental cleaners are a better option that reaches all the crevices of the plastic guard safely. It is especially beneficial for mouth guards that may break or crack easily.
- Clean your case. Your mouth guard spends most of its time left inside a case when it is not sitting in your smile. The case can transfer a large amount of bacteria onto the mouth guard if left without proper sanitization. Thankfully, the case can be cleaned with more force than the actual mouth guard. A similar cleaner can be just as useful for cases as it is on mouthguards.
- Replace your mouthguard, when needed. There comes a time when you just need to throw out your old mouth guard and invest in a new one. Harmful bacteria can easily get caught in these guards, and large cracks can be damaging to the gums. This leaves you with a higher risk of infection.
Contact our Richmond Dental team for more information on mouth guards and the best way to take care of them. Call us today to schedule your next appointment!
