How to Store a Night Guard

A night mouth guard is a dental appliance molded to fit over your teeth. If you grind your teeth at night, your dentist might recommend you wear a night guard while you sleep to protect your teeth from wearing down. It is vital that a night guard be stored in a sanitary way because any bacteria it is harboring will be transferred to your mouth. Night guards can also be expensive, so you will want to ensure your guard is kept as safe as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Storage case
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Paper towels
• Dish soap
• Effervescent cleanser

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Instructions

• 1

  Brush your night guard with a toothbrush and toothpaste whenever you are done wearing it.

• 2

  Rinse it thoroughly with running water. If necessary, use the toothbrush to dislodge paste from any crevices while holding the appliance under the stream of water.

• 3

  Rinse the night guard storage case under running water. If you get a custom-fit night guard from a dentist, it should come with a plastic storage case that snaps closed and has several tiny holes to allow airflow inside. If you purchase an over-the-counter night guard, you might need to buy the case separately. One can be purchased online for as little as $2.99.

• 4

  Pat the case and the night guard dry with paper towels.

• 5

  Shut your night guard inside its case. Do not seal your night guard into an airtight container. Without access to air it might begin to smell and breed bacteria. If you are unable to put it inside its proper case, the next best option would be to place it in a clean dish and set it in a secure location where it cannot be tampered with by pets or small children

• 6

  Clean your guard more thoroughly once a week. If you have a design that is molded to the shape of your teeth, an effervescent cleanser such as Efferdent will work well. The bubbles will reach every crevice, killing odor-causing bacteria. If your night guard has a smooth design that lies on top of your teeth, you can wash it with dish soap and warm water. Your storage case or the dish in which you keep your night guard should also be washed with soap and water on a weekly basis.