Dentist Eden Prairie | 8775 Columbine Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 | (952) 942-0823
Oral hygiene has always been forced to maintain good dental health. In fact, oral hygiene involves a lot of considerations to ensure the safety of your teeth. Many people use a nightguard to protect their teeth from frequent grinding and clenching. The night guard is a plastic safety device that covers the teeth to protect them from the hazardous effects of grinding at night.
Apart from their safety benefits, the night guard requires special attention for hygiene and cleaning. It is important to add the night guard cleaning habit before its use during bedtime. The main reason for that is there are higher chances it may trap the food particles, which can lead to bacterial growth during your sleep. With that said, let’s discuss how to clean the night guard.
Since everyone has the habit of brushing their teeth before going to bed. You can also incorporate night guard cleaning during the process to ensure safety from harmful bacteria. All you need to do is to brush the Night Guard for Teeth with your toothpaste. You can also apply toothpaste for more efficient cleaning. Make sure you brush all the sides and narrow spots of your night guard.
Apart from regular scrubbing, it is also advised to keep your night guard dry all the time. Always let it dry before wearing it again. One reason for that is that bacteria grow best in moisture. This is a significant risk for oral health. If you are in the rush during the morning, always dry your night guard with tissue paper before wearing it on your teeth. Typically, the night guard can take up to 15-30 minutes to dry completely.
While not wearing your night guard, you must store them in the right case. Many people just avoid the fact of storing the night guards properly and just toss them away anywhere. However, it is important to note that this is never a good practice for keeping your night guard clean. It is highly advised to store your night guard in a properly ventilated case. Never keep your night guard in the bathrooms as they can lead to higher germs growth on your device. Not just that but bathrooms are steamy or have higher humidity levels. These factors can also damage your guard.
Cleaning every day before going to bed is the best way to clean your night guard. However, you might also want to consider deep cleaning it once a week. For that instance, you can soak your night guard with denture cleaners and mouthwash. Always avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol. Alcohol has a severe reaction to dental guards and can damage them. Set the timer for soaking your device and then rinse with water before use.
Our mouths are prone to bacterial growth and infection. In fact, it creates an ideal environment for these dangerous microorganisms to thrive. However, proper precautions like maintaining hygiene and cleaning of the Night Guard Cleaner can ensure safety from all bacterial infections.