How to Clean a Mouth Guard Without Damaging It

• Rinse your mouth guard after every use with cool or lukewarm water, then gently clean it regularly with a soft toothbrush and an appropriate dental-appliance cleaner
• Avoid hot water, bleach, harsh cleaners, and abrasive scrubbing, which can damage, discolor, scratch, or warp some mouth guard materials
• Clean, rinse, dry, and store your mouth guard properly in a protective case, and follow the care instructions specific to your appliance since materials and cleaning requirements can vary

If you wear a dental night guard or mouth guard to protect your teeth from grinding or clenching at night, cleaning it doesn't need to be complicated.

But what you clean it with does matter.

Night guards spend hours against your teeth and saliva. Over time, plaque biofilm, saliva, food debris, and mineral deposits can collect on the appliance. And because night guards can be made from different materials, a cleaner that's appropriate for one dental appliance isn't necessarily the best choice for another.

The goal is simple: keep your night guard clean without accidentally scratching, discoloring, warping, or otherwise damaging it. Here are the best ways to clean a mouthguard at home, from the right cleaning methods to the habits that help keep it fresh and in good shape.

Your night guard goes into your mouth for hours at a time, often every night.

That means it comes into contact with the same saliva, plaque, bacteria, and debris found on your teeth. Mouth guards can pick up bacteria from your mouth, which is one reason cleaning your teeth before putting in your guard and cleaning the appliance after use are both important parts of keeping your mouth guard clean.

Without regular cleaning, you may start to notice:

• Bad breath, or an unpleasant taste
• Cloudy or discolored areas
• Visible film or buildup
• Mineral deposits
• A night guard that simply doesn't feel as fresh

Brushing it daily and cleaning it regularly helps keep buildup from accumulating and makes your night guard much more pleasant to wear.

You don't need an elaborate routine to do that. In most cases, a few consistent habits are all it takes, and many people simply clean a mouthguard every day as part of their normal oral care routine.

There are many ways to clean a night guard floating around online, which is one reason night guard care can become unnecessarily confusing.

Search for how to clean a dental mouth guard, and you'll find recommendations ranging from toothpaste and soap to peroxide, denture tablets, mouthwash, and homemade solutions.

The problem is that not every night guard is made from the same material. That's important because a cleaning method that works well for one appliance may not be appropriate for another. Research on resilient dental materials has shown that the effects of chemical cleansers vary depending on both the cleanser formulation and the material being cleaned.

Here's a simpler way to think about your options for cleaning a mouthguard:

This is an easy distinction to miss. A denture cleaner may sit in the same dental-care aisle as a night guard cleaner, so it seems reasonable to assume they're interchangeable.

But dentures and night guards aren't necessarily made from the same materials. Dentures, for example, can contain resin, metal, porcelain, or polymer components, and denture cleansers are specifically evaluated for compatibility with denture materials when used according to their directions.

Night guards can also vary considerably in composition and flexibility. Laboratory studies on softer dental materials have found that the effects of denture cleansers can vary by material, formulation, and exposure time. Reported changes have included differences in hardness, roughness, color, surface appearance, water absorption, and solubility.

That doesn't mean every denture tablet will ruin every night guard. It means "safe for dentures" shouldn't be treated as a universal guarantee for every removable dental appliance.

When in doubt, use a cleaner specifically labeled for night guards or removable dental appliances and follow the care instructions that came with your guard.

Cleaning Tablets from PUL can also be incorporated into a simple night guard cleaning routine when you're looking for a cleaning tablet intended for removable dental appliances.

The easiest night guard to clean is the one you don't allow to get excessively dirty in the first place. 

Learning how to deep clean a mouthguard doesn't require anything complicated. A simple daily cleaning routine with just a few consistent steps can make a noticeable difference. 

Your guard sits directly against your teeth.

Putting it over teeth covered in plaque or leftover food debris means some of that material can transfer directly onto the appliance and possibly cause staining or cavities.

Brush your teeth before bed and clean between them with shred-resistant floss or another interdental cleaner before putting your night guard in.

Don't leave a saliva-coated night guard sitting on the bathroom counter until later.

Rinse your mouthguard with cool or lukewarm water soon after removing it. This helps wash away loose debris before it has more time to dry onto the surface.

Gently brush your mouthguard using a soft toothbrush as part of your routine, and use an appropriate dental-appliance cleaning tablet when you want a more thorough soak.

Cleaning products should do more than make the guard smell minty. The important part is loosening and removing the buildup that accumulates during wear. Many people clean daily for a deeper refresh, alongside gentler daily brushing.

Whether you've used toothpaste, a cleaning tablet, peroxide, or another cleaner approved for your appliance, rinse the night guard thoroughly before putting it back into your mouth or storing it.

After cleaning, give your night guard an opportunity to dry rather than immediately sealing it away while it's dripping wet. A simple routine of rinse, clean, rinse again, dry, and store is much easier to remember than cycling through a collection of different cleaning remedies.

After cleaning your night guard, let it dry before putting it into its case.

Putting a wet dental appliance directly into storage can leave moisture trapped around it. Instead, towel dry it with a clean towel or allow it to air dry, then place it in a dedicated protective case.

A case helps protect your night guard from:

• Dirt and debris
• Accidental drops or damage
• Getting lost
• Pets that may be tempted to chew it

Keep the case and night guard away from excessive heat, including hot cars and direct sunlight, because heat can distort some night guard materials and affect their fit.

The simple routine is: clean it, rinse it, dry it, then store it

And if your guard develops cracks, significant wear, rough areas, or no longer fits properly, cleaning isn't the solution. Bring it to your dentist so they can determine whether it needs to be adjusted or replaced.

You don't need a complicated collection of cleaning hacks to take care of your dental mouth guard.

Keep the routine simple:

• Brush and floss your teeth before wearing it
• Rinse your night guard after use
• Gently clean it regularly
• Use cleaning products intended for the appliance you're cleaning
• Rinse thoroughly
• Let it dry
• Store it safely in a protective case

Most importantly, don't assume that every product sold for dentures, retainers, aligners, sports mouthguards, or other dental appliances is automatically interchangeable.

Your night guard is something you may wear for hundreds or even thousands of hours. Taking a few minutes to clean it properly can help you maintain a clean mouthguard that's protected and ready to wear without accidentally being harder on the material than necessary.

For an easy night guard care system, explore PUL’s line of dental care products, including cleaning Tablets, floss, and a protective case to keep your routine simple from before, during, and after wear.