Glad you mentioned this—I was convinced my tea drinking was shortening my guard's lifespan too! Mine usually lasts around 18 months, but honestly, I start getting anxious around the one-year ma...
Yeah, good point about the toothpaste—I noticed mine got rougher when I switched to a whitening paste. Now I just stick to mild soap and water...seems gentler overall. But honestly, 18 months sounds pretty solid!
"Yeah, good point about the toothpaste—I noticed mine got rougher when I switched to a whitening paste."
Interesting observation about whitening toothpaste. I've always wondered if the abrasiveness actually makes a noticeable difference in lifespan or if it's more about the material quality of the guard itself. Has anyone tried comparing different guard materials directly? I switched from a softer silicone-type guard to a harder acrylic one last year, and it seems to hold up better against staining and wear...but it's definitely less comfortable at first. Took me a good couple weeks to get used to it.
Also curious—do you guys store your guards dry or keep them soaking in water or mouthwash? I've heard mixed advice from dentists on this. Mine recommended dry storage after cleaning, but I've seen others suggest soaking overnight. Wondering if storage method might also play a role in durability...
I've actually wondered about the soaking vs. dry storage thing myself. My dentist said dry storage too, but honestly, I got lazy and started leaving mine soaking overnight in mouthwash (figured it'd save me some scrubbing time in the morning, lol). Weirdly enough, it seemed to get discolored faster that way—maybe the alcohol or dyes in the mouthwash? Anyway, switched back to dry storage and it's holding up better now.
As for materials, I tried one of those cheaper silicone guards first because...well, budget. It was comfy enough but didn't last long at all—maybe 6 months tops before it started looking pretty rough. Finally splurged on a custom acrylic one from my dentist, and yeah, it was pricey upfront but it's been going strong for almost two years now. Took a while to get used to sleeping with something that felt like a hockey puck in my mouth though...
"Finally splurged on a custom acrylic one from my dentist, and yeah, it was pricey upfront but it's been going strong for almost two years now."
Two years sounds reassuring...I'm still nervous about spending that much upfront. But hearing how quickly silicone ones wear out makes me think maybe it's worth biting the bullet. Decisions, decisions...
Two years is pretty solid, honestly. I was hesitant too, but after burning through three silicone ones in less than a year (ugh), I finally went custom. It's been about 18 months now and still looks almost new...definitely less stressful than constantly replacing cheaper ones.
