Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are used to protect your teeth when playing any sports that have the potential for traumatic injury to the mouth.   A traumatic injury to the mouth while playing sports is usually caused by getting hit with a ball, elbow, foot, knee, lacrosse stick, etc. The mouth guard acts like a shock absorber to lessen the force of an object hitting the teeth to prevent them from breaking or being knocked out of the mouth completely.   

Where can you get a mouth guard?

Mouth guards are available at many pharmacies and grocery stores that you can fit to your mouth at home. This is perfect for children that still have many baby teeth left to lose because the mouth guard can be reshaped as needed and they are fairly inexpensive.  Your dentist can also make a custom fitted mouth guard that is fabricated in a lab.  Custom mouth guards cost more but are sturdier and will last longer.

These NFL players (from Mrs. Phillips' favorite football team) are sitting on the sidelines and NOT actively playing.  Mouth guards can feel bulky and weird in your mouth, so many people take them out and put them in weird places or let them hang out of the mouth.  It's important to keep your mouth guard in a case so it doesn't get lost or broken when you are not wearing it.

Yes, you have to clean your mouth guard

Rinsing your mouth guard is better than nothing at all, right?  Yes, but we have to remember there are millions of microscopic organisms living in the mouth that will transfer over and maybe decide to stay and grow in the mouth guard.  Eww. There are some options for cleaning your mouth guard and you can try them out to see what works best for you. However you decide to clean your mouth guard, make sure to rinse any cleaners off with cold water and dry completely (air dry or towel) before storing.

Anti-bacterial Soap & Water 

• It's amazing how effective something as simple as anti-bacterial soap is for removing the bacteria from a mouth guard.  Not all soap is considered anti-bacterial so you may have to double check the label.  Use a small amount of soap and cool to warm water (not hot!); rub the soap around and then rinse thoroughly with cold water so you don't taste soap the next time you wear the mouth guard. 

Toothbrush & Toothpaste

• This method is probably the simplest way to get started because you already brush your teeth and have what you need to clean your mouth guard.  However, make sure that you are using a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste.  Toothpaste that includes the word "whitening" usually contains abrasives for stain removal. Abrasive toothpaste will put microscopic scratches in the plastic of your mouth guard and make tiny homes for bacteria to grow.

3% Hydrogen Peroxide 

• Uses for hydrogen peroxide have always been many and the pandemic of 2020 has revitalized this age-old cleaning agent. Try to use 3% hydrogen peroxide if possible, it's been hard to find.  Hold your mouth guard over a sink and pour some hydrogen peroxide on (enough to get it wet) and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

Denture Cleaners

• This is a deep clean option if you aren't doing any of the above cleaning methods each time you wear our mouth guard, or if your mouth guard is starting to taste or smell bad. Mouth guard cleaners are hard to find but denture cleaner works just the same. Soaking in water with a denture cleaning tablet is fairly easy but make sure to read the directions on the package. This can be done monthly or as often as needed.

Mouth Guard Storage

This is an important part of having a mouth guard. Your gym bag is a whole other conversation about bacteria and not a good place to throw your mouth guard.  I mean, who wants dirty socks rolling around in a bag with a mouth guard right? Custom made mouth guards from the dentist come with a storage case.  If you have a mouth guard that you fitted to your teeth at home by placing it in boiling water, you may not have a case. These storage cases can be found with denture supplies at any pharmacy and have two key features.  First, they snap closed to secure your mouth guard and second, they have tiny holes for airflow because bacteria thrives in moisture rich environments. 

Helpful Tips

• Take your mouth guard with you to the dentist and have them check the fit at every check-up.

• Consider having your dentist make a custom fit mouth guard once all of your adult teeth have erupted.

• Never boil your mouth guard for cleaning purposes and never put it in the microwave.

• Don't play with your mouth guard! The more you touch it, the more germs you are spreading.

• Dogs like to use mouth guards as chew toys so keep it up and out of reach.