I've just started using a mouthguard recently, and I appreciate these tips. I've been rinsing mine thoroughly each morning, but haven't tried brushing it yet—might give that a go. Curious though, does brushing with toothpaste damage the material? My dentist mentioned avoiding harsh cleaners, but didn't specify toothpaste. Also, good point about ventilation. Mine's currently in a closed case, and now I'm wondering if that's part of why it feels a bit stale already...
I've wondered the same thing about toothpaste, actually... My dentist said regular toothpaste can sometimes be abrasive and cause tiny scratches, making it harder to keep clean. She suggested using a mild soap or denture cleaner instead—might be worth checking with yours?
"My dentist said regular toothpaste can sometimes be abrasive and cause tiny scratches, making it harder to keep clean."
Yeah, I've heard something similar from colleagues at my practice. A patient of mine was using whitening toothpaste on her mouthguard daily, thinking it'd help with stains. After a few months, she noticed it getting cloudy and rougher—turns out the abrasives were wearing it down quicker than usual. Mild soap seems safer overall, but I still worry about residue or taste... denture cleaner might be the better bet, honestly.
"After a few months, she noticed it getting cloudy and rougher—turns out the abrasives were wearing it down quicker than usual."
Yeah, that's exactly what happened with mine! I switched to denture cleaner tablets and it's been way better... no weird taste or residue either. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this.
We had the same issue here. My son's mouthguard started looking cloudy and felt rough after just a couple months. I thought maybe we weren't cleaning it properly, but turns out it was the toothpaste we were using. Switched to soaking it in denture cleaner tablets too, and it's been a huge improvement—no more weird texture or cloudy appearance. Glad you found something that works better... it's reassuring to know we're not alone dealing with this stuff.
