"I started using a denture cleaning tablet instead (yeah, felt weird buying those at first), and it's been surprisingly effective."
Interesting you mention denture tablets—I experimented with those briefly, but found they left my mouthguard feeling oddly chalky. Switched back to diluted mouthwash, but now I'm reconsidering...maybe brand matters more than I thought.
I totally get the hesitation about denture tablets—I felt super awkward buying them too, haha. I tried them briefly because my dentist recommended giving them a shot, but honestly, I had mixed feelings. They did clean pretty well, but I noticed a weird aftertaste that lingered even after rinsing thoroughly. Maybe it was psychological, but it made me uneasy enough to switch back to diluted mouthwash.
That said, I've heard from others that certain brands make a huge difference. A friend mentioned she switched from a generic store brand to a more popular name-brand tablet and noticed way less residue and no chalky feeling. So maybe it's worth experimenting with different brands if you're open to trying again? I know it's a bit of trial and error, which can be frustrating...but finding the right cleaning method definitely makes wearing a mouthguard less of a hassle.
"They did clean pretty well, but I noticed a weird aftertaste that lingered even after rinsing thoroughly."
Yeah, I totally noticed this too. At first, I thought it was just me being overly sensitive or something, but after trying a couple of different brands, I realized some tablets definitely leave more residue than others. I found that soaking my mouthguard a bit longer and then giving it a quick brush with a soft toothbrush afterward helped reduce that funky taste quite a bit.
Another trick I've picked up is using warm water instead of cold—seems to help dissolve the tablet more completely. But honestly, I've mostly switched back to diluted mouthwash too; it's just simpler and feels fresher overall. Still, it's good to have the tablets around for occasional deep cleans or traveling when you don't want to lug around a bottle of mouthwash.
Haha, glad I'm not the only one who thought I was imagining things. Honestly, the first time I used those tablets, I spent like 10 minutes rinsing and still felt like I'd just chewed on a pool floatie. Warm water definitely helps, but now I mostly stick to diluted mouthwash too—just feels less risky taste-wise. Good to know I'm not alone in the mouthguard cleaning struggle...
"Honestly, the first time I used those tablets, I spent like 10 minutes rinsing and still felt like I'd just chewed on a pool floatie."
Haha, same here... I thought maybe my tastebuds were broken or something. Diluted mouthwash has been my safe zone too—just feels less chemical-y somehow. Glad someone else gets it; mouthguard maintenance anxiety is real. Hang in there!
