[Closed] The Great Mouthguard Mystery: A Tale of the Vanishing Case

"Ever tried those denture tablets instead? They're super easy and don't leave any weird aftertaste."

Totally see where you're coming from with the denture tablets, but honestly, they never quite did it for me. I gave them a shot once and felt like they left my mouthguard feeling...I dunno, chalky or something? Maybe it was just the brand I picked up.

Personally, I still swear by vinegar - yeah, it does have that kitchen vibe, but it's cheap and effective. Quick rinse afterward, no salad taste lingering around. Plus, vinegar's antibacterial properties are legit underrated for oral hygiene stuff. Just my two cents though; everyone's different when it comes to this kinda thing.

By the way, anyone else ever had their case vanish overnight? I'm convinced there's some kind of mouthguard fairy stealing these things...

I've tried vinegar too, and while it's decent at cleaning, I just couldn't get past the smell - it lingered a bit too long for my liking. Denture tablets work alright for me, but honestly, plain old baking soda has been my go-to. Cheap, easy, and zero aftertaste or weird residue. And yeah...my case disappeared once too. Still convinced my cat knocked it behind the dresser. Cats are sneaky like that.

"plain old baking soda has been my go-to. Cheap, easy, and zero aftertaste or weird residue."

Totally agree about the baking soda - it's gentle and effective without leaving any funky taste behind. Vinegar's smell just sticks around too long for me too. And yeah, cats...mine once hid my retainer under the couch cushions for days. Sneaky little furballs.

Baking soda's decent, but honestly, I'm always worried it'll scratch or damage the mouthguard over time. Has anyone checked with their dentist about long-term use? I'm probably just paranoid, but these things aren't cheap to replace...

I totally get your concern - mouthguards aren't exactly cheap, and it's smart to be cautious. My dentist actually mentioned something similar when I asked about baking soda. She said occasional use is fine, but regular scrubbing could cause tiny scratches that trap bacteria over time. She recommended soaking it in a gentle denture cleaner instead, which I've found works pretty well without the worry of damage. Might be worth checking out if you're uneasy about baking soda long-term...

Interesting point about the denture cleaner - I hadn't thought of that. Do you know if there's a specific ingredient or type to look for (or avoid)? I've seen some cleaners labeled "extra strength" or "whitening," and I'm wondering if those might be too harsh for mouthguards. Last thing I'd want is to accidentally weaken mine or something...

I've actually used denture cleaner tablets for my retainers before, and from what I've read, you wanna steer clear of anything labeled "whitening" or "extra strength." Those usually have harsher ingredients like peroxide or stronger abrasives that can mess with the material over time. Regular, basic denture cleaners without fancy additives seem safest. Honestly though, I mostly stick to mild soap and water now - cheaper and less risk of accidentally melting my mouthguard into a sad blob...

Good to know about the whitening tablets - I honestly hadn't even thought about that. We've been using mild dish soap for my kiddo's retainer, but I was curious if denture tablets might be easier. Sounds like sticking with soap is safer after all... thanks for sharing your experience!

"We've been using mild dish soap for my kiddo's retainer, but I was curious if denture tablets might be easier."

We tried denture tablets for a bit too, thinking they'd simplify things, but honestly, they left a weird aftertaste that my daughter couldn't stand. She said it tasted "chemically," whatever that means, lol. So we switched back to mild soap pretty quickly. I also asked our dentist about it, and she mentioned that some tablets can be a bit harsh on retainers or mouthguards over time, especially if they're used daily. She recommended sticking with gentle soap or even just brushing gently with toothpaste occasionally. We've been doing the soap thing ever since, and it's worked out fine - no more complaints about weird tastes at least. Glad to hear we're not the only ones sticking with the basics!

We've stuck with mild soap too, mostly because the denture tablets seemed to discolor my son's retainer slightly after a few weeks. Has anyone else noticed that? I wonder if it's brand-specific or something. Our dentist also mentioned avoiding toothpaste regularly since it can scratch the plastic over time...but honestly, who knows what's best at this point, lol.

We've noticed the discoloration too, but only with certain brands. Switched to a different denture tablet and haven't had issues since. Mild soap seems safest overall though...better than risking scratches or stains.

I've had similar experiences with discoloration, especially when I first got my mouthguard. Tried a few different denture tablets, and yeah, some brands definitely seemed harsher than others. Switching helped a lot, but honestly, mild soap has been my go-to ever since. It's gentle enough that I don't worry about damaging the material or leaving weird tastes behind.

One thing I've noticed though - temperature seems to matter too. I used to rinse mine with hot water thinking it'd sanitize better, but it ended up warping slightly over time. Now I stick strictly to lukewarm or cool water, and it's held its shape perfectly since then. Just something to keep in mind if you're trying to keep your mouthguard in good shape long-term.

Glad I'm not the only one who's been through the trial-and-error phase with this stuff... mouthguards can be surprisingly finicky!

"I used to rinse mine with hot water thinking it'd sanitize better, but it ended up warping slightly over time."

Wait, seriously? I had no idea hot water could warp these things... I've been rinsing mine in practically boiling water every night thinking I'm killing germs. Now I'm paranoid I've ruined it already. 😬

Also, mild soap sounds good, but does it really clean enough? I've been using those denture tablets too, but sometimes they leave a weird taste behind. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive though... it's my first mouthguard, and I'm still figuring this stuff out.

And speaking of finicky, does anyone else's case randomly disappear at night? I swear mine has grown legs. I put it down on the bathroom counter, and by morning it's vanished, only to turn up in the weirdest places - like behind the toothpaste or under a towel. Either I'm sleepwalking or there's a tiny gremlin messing with me... 😂

Wait, seriously?

Haha, you're definitely not alone with the wandering case - I swear mine teleports around the bathroom at night. As for cleaning, mild soap does the trick just fine. Denture tabs left a weird aftertaste for me too... switched back to soap and haven't looked back.

Have you tried toothpaste instead? I get what you're saying about denture tabs, they left mine tasting kinda strange too. But honestly, mild soap didn't feel like it was cleaning enough for me - it just felt... slippery? Toothpaste gives it a fresher feel without the weird aftertaste. Also, my case doesn't teleport, but it definitely has legs - found it hiding behind the sink pedestal yesterday. Maybe they're plotting something together?

"Toothpaste gives it a fresher feel without the weird aftertaste."

I've tried toothpaste too, but honestly, it felt a bit abrasive on my son's mouthguard. After a few weeks, I noticed tiny scratches and it seemed to wear down faster. Maybe it depends on the brand or type of toothpaste? We switched to a gentle baby shampoo (just a tiny drop) and it cleans surprisingly well without leaving any residue or taste behind. Plus, it's mild enough that I don't worry about chemicals or anything harsh.

As for the disappearing case, ours doesn't exactly vanish, but it does seem to migrate around the bathroom counter. Pretty sure it's just my kid moving things around without realizing it... or maybe there's some secret mouthguard rebellion happening we don't know about yet. Either way, I'm just glad when it stays put long enough to dry properly.

Haha, mouthguard rebellion sounds about right... ours seems to teleport from the bathroom to random spots like the kitchen counter or even the couch cushions. Also, never thought of baby shampoo - does it help with discoloration too, or just general cleaning?

"ours seems to teleport from the bathroom to random spots like the kitchen counter or even the couch cushions."

Glad I'm not the only one losing track of mine... thought I was getting forgetful. Haven't tried baby shampoo yet - sounds gentle, but discoloration might need something stronger?

Mine has turned up in some pretty weird places too... once found it tucked in the pocket of my robe. Still can't figure out how that happened. About discoloration, baby shampoo might be too mild. I soak mine in a denture cleaning tablet every so often - it seems to help with stains and freshens it up nicely. Just rinse it really well after. Worth a try maybe?

Haha, glad I'm not the only one finding mine in odd spots... once discovered it nestled between my couch cushions. Still scratching my head over that one. Denture tablets are a great tip - I use them too every now and then, really helps freshen things up. Just don't leave it soaking too long or it can get a bit weird texture-wise. Good luck with the mystery!