Have you tried soaking it in denture cleaner tablets instead? I had the same chemical taste issue, and airing it out didn't really help much for me. Someone suggested denture tablets, and honestly, they worked surprisingly well. Just drop one in water, let the mouthguard soak for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Might be worth a shot if airing it out isn't cutting it for you... Also, vinegar? Brave move, haha.
"Also, vinegar? Brave move, haha."
Haha, yeah vinegar seems risky... I worry about anything too harsh damaging the material. Does anyone know if denture tablets are safe for nightly use, or is it just an occasional thing?
I've actually used denture tablets nightly for a while now without any issues. They're pretty gentle overall, and my mouthguard hasn't shown any signs of damage or discoloration yet. I usually just let it soak for 15-20 mins, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Vinegar, though... I tried that once and the smell lingered way too long for my liking, haha. Denture tablets seem safer and easier in my experience.
Have you checked if your denture tablets contain any whitening agents or peroxide? Most are gentle enough, but some brands sneak those in, and they can gradually weaken the material of your mouthguard over time. I mean, you're probably fine if you haven't noticed anything yet, but it's worth double-checking the ingredients just to be safe. Vinegar smell is definitely a no-go for me too... learned that the hard way, haha.
Good call on checking the ingredients—I never even thought about peroxide being an issue. I've been using denture tablets for months without problems, but now you've got me curious... might have to double-check mine tonight. And yeah, vinegar smell is a definite nope from me too, haha.
